


Didn't Ask For This

by GreenRoyale



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: A lot of cursing, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mpreg, Thor Is a Good Bro, Thor is too damn loud, Tony Loves Loki, Tony is a douche, bruce banner is too cool for this, but tony is still a douche, no smut sorry, pregnant!Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-04-06
Packaged: 2018-01-17 21:54:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1403839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenRoyale/pseuds/GreenRoyale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A "short" fic where Loki finds that he is pregnant and tells Tony about it. </p><p>Obviously they both didn't ask for this but it has happened.</p><p>The only problem is that Tony doesn't want it.</p><p>But Loki does.</p><p> </p><p>Completed Writing<br/>Uploading in Parts [Daily]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "I'm Pregnant, Tony."

**Author's Note:**

> Hi yall, this is my first time posting a fic here. Please be kind to me. 
> 
> This fic started as a headcanon and was not supposed to be so angsty, I swear. I tried putting in all the fluff I could get to work for the pairing. 
> 
>  
> 
> Non-beta'd. All mistakes are mine. And all the awesomeness as well. Teehee~

“WHAT?”

Tony choked on his coffee and spat it out, making a mess all over the counter top and even on his Stark tablet that he was working on earlier. Cursing under his breath, he calmed himself down and looked straight at the guy sitting at the couch at the other end of the room, arms crossed and looking down into his palms.

“Tell me you’re joking,” Tony said.

The emerald eyes looked up and took a moment before sighing, “I am not.”

Tony rubbed his face with one hand in exasperation while the other was clutching the counter top till his knuckles turned white. He looked up to the ceiling as though a solution could fall from it and then shook his head.

“How-… How is that even possible?” he asked. “I mean… Of all things, like… How?”

“I don’t know,” came the reply as he bent forward and rubbed his face with both his hands. “What am I to do now?”

“Well, what I would suggest is to kill it,” Tony said, his voice breaking here and there in the panic.

The other guy looked up from his hands and looked paler than he already was. His mouth hung open for a moment as he looked at Tony in disbelief. “Is that what you call it here? Kill it?”

“Yes- I mean no,” Tony said running a hand through his hair as he began to pace. “It’s called abortion but… You know what I mean.”

“Do I?”

“Loki,” Tony sighed. “I can’t have a baby. I’m Tony Stark. I don’t… I can’t! Shit.”

Tony cursed as he finally realized the mess that was on the countertop was spilling over his Stark tablet as well. Loki’s face turned cold and his lips pressed into a line. He simply stared at Tony as the other man began to clean the mess on the countertop.

“I’ll get you an appointment with the best gynecologists and we’ll find a way to get it out of you. I can’t imagine having a mini Tony running around the place,” Tony mumbled as he cleaned the mess. “I mean, can you? No, I take it back. Don’t even imagine it. It won’t happen. It’s not going to happen. I don’t even want to think about it. A mini Stark.”

“And what about a mini Loki?”

“Wha-?” Tony looked up only to see Loki glazing over the coffee table in front of him. Loki looked up to meet Tony’s eyes. Tony could see the emerald green orbs getting glassy under the light.

“You may not have imagined a mini Stark,” Loki fingers had weaved into each other and clasped tight, “But I have imagined of a mini Loki.”

Tony placed the rag on the countertop as he looked at Loki, trying to fathom what he was saying. “What are you trying to say?”

“Don’t worry about it, Tony,” Loki said grimly, his facial expression and tone gave away nothing. “It would not be a problem to you.”

“Loki,” Tony started but Loki had gotten up and headed out to the elevator without another word. His shoulders slumped and his hands fell limp on the countertop.

Sure, it feels as if he was the worse asshole in the world and all the nine others right now but it was for a good reason. Tony does not want children. Tony would not want children. Not after everything he had gone through in his past. He shook his head and slammed his fist onto the surface in anger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Three days passed and Tony had not seen Loki or any of the others in the tower. He had kept himself hidden in his lab for those days and fixed his suit over and again. He had already given his card to Loki the other day, through other means than passing it to him personally of course. The issue should probably be fixed by now. Loki should be resting now. Shouldn’t he?

Tony was still tinkering on his glove when Bruce walked in, looking a little wary. He had to give a double take before he realized that Bruce was actually staring at him. Trying his best not to look awkward, he continued tinkering as though nothing happened.

“Tony.”

“Bruce,” Tony replied equally.

“Why are you down here?” Bruce asked and Tony could not help but tense at the question.

“I’m fixing my glove, why do you ask?”

“Thor has been looking for you.” Tony’s hands failed him at the mention of that name and he dropped the screwdriver fell onto his foot. He knocked over a few things while trying to save the screwdriver that hit his foot anyway. Cursing aloud, he dropped the glove onto the table and limped over to sit down.

“You okay?” Bruce asked as he peered over although there was a monotonous slur in his voice that told Tony the doctor was not half as curious as he was supposed to be. Tony simply waved a hand and massaged his ankle to ease his pain. “Thor doesn’t look too happy though, for some reason.”

“Really?” Tony squeaked and cleared his throat to regain his normal voice. “And why would that be?”

“I’m not quite sure but I’d say you should go meet him soon,” the doctor said, pulling out his own screen and opening a few files to refer to. “It seems like a real issue.”

“Huh,” was the only thing Tony could say without blurting out anything unnecessary or risking sudden vocal incapability.

True enough, when Tony met the Thunderer at the common floor later than afternoon, he did not look too pleased. Quickly glancing around the room to check the attendance, he realized someone was not present. Tony walked straight to the fridge and grabbed his Scotch.

“You rang?” Tony asked, grabbing a glass.

“I wanted to tell you that I am arranging for departure for myself and my brother, Friend Stark,” Thor said, his eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were serious as he spoke. “We are leaving for Asgard.”

“Asgard?” Natasha tilted her head to Thor. “You’re bring Loki back to Asgard? I thought he doesn’t want to go back?”

“He does not,” Thor replied. “But for an apparent reason, he has decided to return to Asgard. He would have to face the punishments as given by my father if he does. I do not understand why he would choose to return after all he has achieved here in Midgard.”

Tony swallowed a glass full of Scotch and ignored the burn in his throat. Thor was right. Loki had been on Earth for two years now. He served his punishment on Earth to fix whatever he had done wrong before and now he has been accepted as a SHIELD affiliate, if not part of the Avengers. It was obvious that Loki had a reason to leave and return to Asgard. Doing so would mean that he has broken the pact made between Asgard and SHIELD which also means that Loki would have to face another set of punishments when he reaches Asgard.

“Maybe he just wants a change of air?” Clint’s suggestion broke Tony’s train of thoughts. “You know, maybe he’s tired of the pollution in New York and he just wants to chill out on your rainbow bridge?”

“I believe Loki does not wish to return for a mere change of air as you have suggested,” Thor replied. “He has stated out as a fact that he does not plan to return to Midgard once he reaches the Asgard.”

“Maybe you should let him,” Tony said and suddenly wished he had jumped off the tower instead when he saw all the eyes turn to him. “I mean… Maybe he’s sick and tired of the boredom. He just wants to go back home then we should just let him. Don’t you think?”

The confused faces that shot him looks from across the room could only make Tony feel like jumping out of the window right that second. “I believe that is true,” thank god for the dumb blond God. “But I simply find it unusual that my brother has chosen to leave so abruptly. Friend Stark!” Tony almost died while drinking Scotch. “You are the man that my brother trusts most. Perhaps you could ask for his reason.”

“Oh woah, hey, I wouldn’t push my luck,” Tony said raising his hands in surrender. “What Loki wants, Loki gets. Remember?”

Thor’s eyebrows only furrowed deeper and Tony caught Natasha narrowing her eyes at him before looking away.

“Maybe you should just go along with his plans and then see what could be the reason,” Clint said, suddenly flipping channels on the television. “He should have reason for everything he does.”

“When are you guys leaving?” Natasha asked.

“In two days,” Thor replied.

Tony’s hand stopped before his glass reached his lips. His muscles tensed as he thought about it.

Two days. That was all the time there was before Loki disappears for what might as well seem as forever. His grip tightened on the glass and he sipped the drink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was raining debris and dust as the deafening noises began to only get louder. Tony flew past the crumbling buildings to scan the situation and he could locate the other Avengers effortlessly.

Lightning shoots down from the sky and thunder rumbling afterwards only signified that Thor was still around and fighting. Hulk was already smashing the creatures into walls and the ground while Clint was so tiny on top of buildings, shooting arrows at the flying ones. Natasha was on the ground with Steve, fighting alongside each other to take the creatures down.

“What are these things?” Tony mumbled to himself as he scanned around.

The creatures looked like rhinoceros, only thrice as big and had heads that looked like flathead sharks. They were running into buildings and anything they see. The ones Clint was shooting at looked much more disgusting. They looked like a hybrid of eagles and those on the ground. Pretty much rhinoceros with flatheads, riding on hoverboards.

Tony’s thoughts were interrupted rudely by one of those flying ones that took him down to the ground easily. He blasted them away and scrambled to get up but the creatures kept plowing him down. Falling again, Tony tried to get up quickly enough before the creature starts running into him but he could not. He raised a hapless hand to cover his face by instinct only to see the creature running into an invisible sphere that sparkled of blue upon the contact.

Letting his hand down to register what just happened, Tony was surprised by a sudden appearance of a man in front of him where the sphere was earlier. Clad in black, green and gold, Tony recognized that figure immediately.

“Loki?” he thought aloud.

“I hope you enjoyed the movie, it’s time to get up,” came the sardonic reply. With a wave of both his hands, the ground shot up and hit a couple of creatures that were running towards them. Tony took this chance to regain his position and got up, looking around for more of those creatures.

“I thought you did not want to fight with us anymore,” Tony said, his back against Loki’s.

“Well I apologize if my departure has been delayed due to your team’s incompetency to keep your world safe,” Loki bit back.

“You know that’s not what I was talking about,” Tony said, blasting off two creatures away and stopping when Loki turned to face him. The green eyes were raring with anger as he looked down at Tony. It felt almost as if the God of Mischief could melt his mask with that simply glare.

“You do not have the slightest idea of what you are talking about,” Loki spat.

Tony stepped back and lifted his faceplate to look at Loki properly. There was something in Loki’s expression that tells him something was amiss. Maybe Loki was still upset about the decision they were forced to take about a week ago. Or maybe Loki was just upset that he was supposed to have left for Asgard today but shit came up and he was still stuck there on Earth.

“Look, Loki. I’m sorry about what happened.”

“Are you?” Loki hissed.

“I am!” Tony hissed back. “There are just too many things that you won’t understand even if I explained to you and there is a reason-…”

“Watch out!” a voice shrieked in the comms and Tony did not even finish his sentence when Loki pushed him aside to raise a magnetic shield around them. But even Loki was not that quick to protect the both of them completely from the blast.

Both of them were thrown back into the pavement and Tony had to shake his head to regain his focus. He got up and turned back to see that one of the vans around the area must have exploded or those creatures had missiles on them. He was still unable to think right but then he saw Loki a small distance away from him, lying on his back and struggling to get up as well.

Tony got up to his feet and jogged towards Loki to get him up.

“You okay, Tony?” Steve’s voice could be heard through the comms. He must have been the one who gave the warning albeit a little too late.

“Yeah,” Tony replied simply before checking if Loki was alright. “Are you okay?”

Tony did not have the chance to even see if Loki nodded or not and he turned to blast away at least half a dozen more of those creatures inching towards the two of them. He turned back to see Loki leaning into the pillar of the broken building for support as he panted heavily. Tony blasted away the last of the creatures around his area and turned just in time to catch Loki from falling to the ground.

“Loki, are you okay?” Tony asked, his eyebrows knitting together as he forced Loki to look up at him. “Where does it hurt? What is-…”

Tony’s eyes grew large when he looked down and saw Loki’s hand on his abdomen. His heart skipped a beat and he looked back up to the emerald eyes that were brimming with tears now. Loki’s face contorted as he winced and clutched Tony’s arm with his free hand. “It hurts…”

“You didn’t-…” Tony started, his eyes brimming with tears as well and he hugged Loki towards his person. “You’re gonna be alright. You’re gonna be alright.”

Tony picked up Loki carefully and flew out of the area. “Cap, I’m heading to the hospital.”

“Are you hurt?” Steve’s voice was ringing with alarm.

“I’m fine, it’s Loki,” Tony said, still holding Loki close as he felt the guy limp in his embrace.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered,” Natasha’s voice said suddenly. Tony was grateful that the team was always so understanding.

He gulped back the lump in his throat as he whispered, “I… I’m sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. "I Trusted You"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki gets hospitalized and everyone finds out about the pregnancy. Tony finds himself feeling more like a douchebag that he is. And Thor gets really angry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd. All mistakes are my own.

Tony was pacing around in the corridors, chewing on his thumbnail. His suit was already folded like a suitcase and placed on the waiting seat where he was supposed to be. His shirt was still drenched in sweat and the dried blood trail from his forehead was still evident. He had rejected all offers of fixing the wounds and insisted on the doctors to fix Loki first.

After the thousandth lap of pacing the corridors, the other Avengers had finally arrived.

“What happened?” Natasha asked.

“Where is my brother?” Thor asked.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked.

“Loki’s inside, they’re working on him,” Tony said gulping down the lump in his throat.

The rest of them did not need another explanation and simply waited as well. Not long after that, the doctor left the operating room and Thor, Steve and Tony went forth.

“How is my brother?”

“He is still unstable but he should be safe once he comes around,” the doctor said, earning a sigh of relief from the team but Tony did not relax.

“And what about…” Tony started, looking straight into the doctor’s eyes as he plucked the courage to continue. “What about the child?”

The doctor’s face turned paler for a second and the team turned to look at Tony but he did not even twitch in the scrutiny. He simply stared into the doctor’s eyes and waited for a reply.

“The child’s life… Depends on its carrier’s will to live.”

At that, the doctor walked away and Tony leant himself into the wall. He could finally breathe but not for long.

“What child does the doctor speak of, Friend Stark?” Thor asked, his voice was low and dangerous. Tony could not even look up to meet anyone’s eyes right now. The conflict and the pain his chest could not make it any easier to discuss the matter.

“Tony?” Steve called but Tony could only let himself be silent. “Is there something you want to tell us?”

Tony took a deep breath, still not looking up to meet anyone’s eyes while he leaned on his arm into the wall. “Loki is pregnant.”

“What?” Clint and Natasha chorused in surprise.

“And how do you know that?” Steve asked, trying to be the rational leader that he always is.

“He told me,” Tony wheezed.

It did not take another moment for Thor to turn Tony around and slam him into the wall. Steve moved forth to grab onto Thor’s arm but the Thunderer was too strong as he pinned Tony into the wall by his shoulders.

“And you let this fall into silence?” Thor bellowed, anger was flashing in his eyes. “You let my brother fight?”

“I didn’t-… I didn’t know he… He kept it…” Tony said, sounding almost too pathetic even to himself. He could only wish that Thor simply crush his bones right now so that he does not have to face with the guilt of hurting Loki and his child. Their child.

“Why would he not keep it?” Steve suddenly asked, his eyebrows furrowed as suspicions arise even in the good captain’s mind. He could not reply at that. “Tony?”

“Because I told him not to,” Tony cried, his eyes were still kept low as he waited for Thor to kill him. “I didn’t want it.”

Tony could feel Thor’s grip tightened on his shoulders and he winced at the pain but it was not as unbearable as the gripping pain his heart.

Thor growled and yelled out in anger for a moment before letting Tony go, allowing him to slip down the wall as his legs failed him. Thor turned around and leaned his forehead into the wall opposite of Tony, his hands clenching into fists as he shook in anger. When Steve tried to calm him down, Thor only turned away and left. Natasha shared a look with Clint and they knew the situation was far worse than they would have expected. She tapped on Clint’s shoulder and walked away as well.

Steve looked to Bruce and shared a knowing look before nodding at each other. The captain did not even glance back to Tony before leaving. Bruce took the seat on the chair opposite of Tony who was on the floor and slumped forward.

Tony wanted to tell Bruce to leave. He was too ashamed to be facing anyone right now but the words failed him at the tip of his tongue. He did not even know if his face was drenched by sweat or tears or even blood from his own wounds and he did not care.

Hours passed and Tony had fallen asleep. He was still seated on the ground but his head was tilted and resting on the suitcase next to him. Bruce was also resting his eyes from the action-packed day earlier. Then the doors opened and someone came out of it. Bruce looked up to the lady who was standing in front of him and got up, sending a glance towards Tony who was still asleep.

“The patient has been stabilized,” the lady doctor said and Tony stirred from where he sat. “He is moved to the Intensive Care Unit. He is still weak but you may visit him by tomorrow morning.”

Tony had awoken and jumped up to his feet. Carelessly, he grabbed the doctor’s arm and made her turn to face him instead. “Where is he?”

The lady doctor simply gave a smile and pried his fingers open to release her arm gently. “He has been moved. You can go see him tomorrow.”

“Is- is…” Tony stuttered when the doctor was about to leave. “Is he okay?”

“He is fine,” the doctor replied. “He will be out for a few hours due to exhaustion and dehydration but he will come around.”

“And… And the child…?”

The doctor smiled again and nodded. “He is fine as well.”

Tony heaved a sigh of relief and a hand was raised subconsciously to his chest. “Thank you, doctor…” he looked at the nametag and gulped. “Doctor Lawson.”

The doctor did not say anything else. She turned away and walked off. Tony’s legs felt like jelly and Bruce had to hold him to stop him from falling over. The two of them did not say much but simply headed home together.

Throughout the journey, Tony had his eyes fixed out the window and Bruce stole glances towards him occasionally but they did not speak of anything. The blood trail on his head had been wiped away earlier and the wound on his forehead now had a plaster on it.

When they reached the tower, Tony walked like a mindless zombie towards his bedroom, ignoring the stares that were shot by everyone. Nobody stopped him when he went into his bedroom as Bruce raised a hand to stop anyone who had questions or anything to say to the billionaire.

A warm shower was all he really needed and a glass of scotch to really prep him for what he was going to face afterwards. He threw on a t-shirt and pants before walking out only to find everyone still there. He had half wished that they would be gone by the time he was done washing but they weren’t. He went to the fridge and grabbed a glass of scotch before sitting at the counter, away from the rest of them who were there at the couches.

Tony stared into the glass as he waited for someone to speak but nobody did. He scoffed and looked up before saying, “Scotch anyone?”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Steve was the one who spoke, despite the fact that Tony had expected Thor to be the first to speak. His voice was not harsh or demanding but that was only the beginning of a very long night.

“I didn’t know…”

“No before that,” Steve said quickly.

Tony sighed and thought of how to put it into words. I’m selfish. I’m a wimp. I’m the biggest asshole you would ever know of in the whole of nine realms.

“I don’t want to have it,” he said instead.

“That was a choice of your freedom but that does not mean you could suggest such a cruel and disgusting thing to my brother!” Thor boomed, jolting up from his seat and was only held back by Bruce who held his hand.

Tony looked away and his hand clenched tighter onto the glass. “I know.”

Bruce did not let go of Thor’s hand and even tugged it to bring the Thunderer back down to his seat. Then the doctor winced at the thought before sighing.

“We know how you feel about children, Tony,” Natasha beat anyone else to it as she spoke with her face collected as ever but there was glint in her eye that made Tony squirm in his seat. “But you should have told us earlier. We can’t risk jeopardizing Loki’s life with what we do. Even if he chose to keep the child, we still ought to know.”

Tony shut his eyes when she mentioned ‘the child’. He had been so afraid of the responsibility that he had forgotten that it was just that. A child.

“Maybe that’s why he wanted to leave,” Clint said. “Maybe he didn’t want any of us to know that he chose to keep the kid.”

Tony could feel Clint’s gaze shifting towards him but he did not want to react to it. He clenched the glass and clenched his teeth. The tension in the room was like gas filling up the area, ready to just blow up once someone lights a match. Tony got up from his seat, causing the rest to get up as well. He slammed the glass onto the counter, causing it to break and slice through his palm but he did not seem to even notice it.

“I can’t do this,” Tony said, his bloodied hand clenching and dripping of blood as he walked.

Bruce and Steve were not quick enough to hold Thor back from grabbing Tony by the shirt and holding him there. Thor’s eyes were filled with rage while Tony’s were just welling with tears of unsaid words.

“If anything happens to my brother,” Thor growled through gritted teeth. “I will not forgive you.”

The tense atmosphere was enough to make any normal person melt in the room. Thor’s grip was rock hard in Tony’s chest. Tony blinked and tears trickled down his cheek before whispering, “Don’t.”

Thor was taken aback at this, his eyes softening in confusion and surprise. He let go of Tony harshly before storming off. Energy left Tony’s legs as he collapsed to the ground, kneeling. His head hung low and he buried his face in his unhurt hand.

Natasha knelt down as well and squeezed Tony’s shoulder as he whimpered and cried. She looked up to Bruce and the doctor went to the kitchen to grab the first-aid kit.

“Let’s get you on the couch,” Natasha said, nodding to Clint and Steve who helped Tony up and steered him to the couch. Bruce then took the seat next to the billionaire and aided his hand.

Tony seemed to have lost his soul as his eyes glazed unfocused. Steve’s eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at Tony in disbelief. Clint stood next to Steve, unaware of what to feel or what to do. Natasha squeezed Tony’s knee and sighed, “You get some rest. We’ll go see him tomorrow.”

Natasha looked up and inclined her head to leave. As she walked off, Clint and Steve followed soon after. They knew there was nothing else to say or do in this situation. Every word they said would just gravitate the matter further but it did not mean that things left unsaid were not present in their minds. Tony knew that. Everybody knew that.

“I’m a sick bastard,” Tony finally said as Bruce desensitized his hand.

“That you are,” Bruce replied without looking up.

“I don’t deserve his affection,” Tony continued.

“That you don’t,” the doctor replied again.

“I should’ve just died when he threw me out the window,” Tony said, still dazed.

Bruce chuckled and continued his work. “That you should.”

Tony clenched his hand suddenly, stopping Bruce from aiding the wound and making the doctor look up. He turned his head and met the doctor’s eyes. “Why did he save me?”

Bruce did not reply at that but simply sighed. He let his eyes wander for a moment as he thought about it before look back to the billionaire. “I think you know the answer to that.”

They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Tony relaxed and let Bruce continue bandaging his hand. When it was done, Tony got up from his seat and did not even look at the doctor in the eye.

“Thanks,” he simply said.

“No problem,” the doctor replied. “Get some rest. You’ll need the energy tomorrow. I’ll clear this up.”

Tony gave a curt nod before turning to leave. The doctor stayed back to clear up the mess and Tony did not even realize when he reached his bed.

Lying into it carefully, he put an arm over his forehead and let his mind drift away. He was too tired. Mentally, physically and emotionally. As his mind wandered, he closes his eyes and left the day.

He opened his eyes. It was already bright. Looking to his left, he saw a beautiful figure sleeping next to him. Slender arms were curled; one under the figure’s head and the other just resting in front of him. Tony smiled and reached out to pull the lock of black hair away from his face. With his knuckle, he caressed the man’s cheeks and down his jawline, only to receive a smile from the other.

“Good morning,” Loki whispered, his eyes still closed.

“Good morning,” Tony replied.

Loki shifted and went forward to put his arm around Tony, resting his forehead on the latter’s temple. Tony ran his fingers through the dark hair and pulled Loki closer to plant a soft kiss on his head.

“Slept well?” Tony asked.

Loki hummed and Tony could hear his smile. “You?”

Tony hummed as well, staring up the ceiling. His hand slid down Loki’s arm that was around him and caressed the bare skin with his thumb. “I always sleep well when you’re next to me.”

“I do too,” Loki replied.

The air from Loki’s breaths tickled Tony’s cheeks but he simply smiled and enjoyed that they were so close. Their relationship had gone rapidly from enemies to friends and to lovers. But only the team knew about it. It didn’t take long before they got into the comforts of each other’s beds. Loki had even shifted some of his things into Tony’s room for the times he would bunk over.

“What’s on your mind, Anthony?” Loki asked suddenly.

“Nothing,” Tony replied. “Just how lucky I am to have you with me.”

Tony took Loki’s hand and kissed it before placing it on his chest. Loki chuckled and began tracing the arc reactor with a finger. The silent humming and the bright blue light had always enchanted Loki. More than that, it was a sign that the man he loved was alive and well. That was probably the only thing of that colour in his life that he was associated to that he didn’t hate.

“I am lucky to have you, Anthony,” Loki replied. “I am lucky to find someone who loves me and trusts me as much as I do too.”

Tony held Loki closer to him and rested his head on the latter’s. He sighed and thought about it. “You’re right. You’re lucky to be with such a handsome man.”

“Am I now?” Loki asked, pulling back from the embrace and smiling in humor.

“Come on,” Tony said, looking at the other’s face. “I’m a catch. You have got to accept that fact at least.”

“Really?” Loki asked, an amused grin playing on his lips. “And I am not?”

“Hmm… Maybe?” Tony joked and earned a poke in the side by the God. “Ouch. You’ll pay for that!”

Loki giggled and screamed when Tony rolled over him, beginning the tickle war.

The deafening giggles were still ringing in Tony’s ears when he woke up. It wasn’t just a dream. It was a memory.

A memory he promised to cherish just as much as he promised to savour the moment. Their relationship was based on trust and reliance. If anything, it was just a product of trial and error. It was never built to last. A ship never built to set sail. Nothing more than just one of those in the eyes of Tony.

Or was it really?

Tony raised a hand to rub his face and winced when he realised it was bandaged. He looked at it for a moment before getting up and throwing the sheets off him. Glancing out to the sky, he realised it was still dark.

“JARVIS?”

“Yes, Mr Stark.”

“What’s the time?”

“It is half past four in the morning, sir,” the disembodied voice’s reply made Tony feel his stomach clench. It was too early. He must have only slept for a little bit before waking up.

Getting off his bed, he headed to the showers and decided to let the warm water trickle down his body. With his eyes closed and his hands flat on the tiled wall, he let his memory drift back to those times when Loki was still around.

What would Loki be doing while he takes a shower? Still in bed perhaps. Making breakfast for the two of them maybe. Or he might even be in the shower along with Tony.

Loki used to ease the hurt and kiss the pain away. He used to lick Tony’s wounds like a cat would do its kitten and Tony could not deny it. It was comforting.

He would run his slender fingers down Tony’s back, making the man shiver under the trickles of water. He would knead the muscles back to place and even fix some broken bones.

The comforting touch at the tip of Loki’s fingers, the warmth from his lips. Nothing could compare to that.

Tony sighed and turned the knob to stop the water. He hissed, wincing in the pain when he realised the bandages were undone. Unwrapping the bandages, he cursed and walked out.

 

Clint walked into the area and frowned at the smell. He walked forth to the kitchen only to see a familiar back hunched over the stove and making something.

“Morning,” Clint greeted.

“Morning,” Tony replied a little too happily as he flipped a pancake.

Clint glanced to his wristwatch and his eyebrows furrowed deeper.

“You’re early,” Clint said, dropping into the seat at the counter.

“Just getting ready,” Tony replied thoughtlessly and turned to place a batch of pancakes in front of Clint. “Enjoy.”

Tony turned back to prepare the next batch of pancakes he was working on. Clint took a whiff and his stomach grumbled. “Didn’t know you make pancakes.”

“I don’t. I used to watch-...” Tony stopped himself abruptly and his the words fell out with a huff. Clint only eyed the other man’s back. Nobody said anything else and Clint simply dug into the pancakes.

It didn’t take too long before they were joined but everyone else. Sans Thor. The team looked a little superficial to Tony as they seemed as though they were trying to function as per normal. Bruce reading his news through his Stark tab, Steve through his crisp newspaper. Clint and Natasha discussing stealth tactics. And then there’s Tony who was sitting there scrolling through nothing in his Stark phone.

“Thor has gone to the hospital yesterday,” Tony tensed slightly as the conversation somehow steered that way. He did not even look up to Natasha as she continued. “Since he was family, he was probably allowed to sleep overnight.”

The room fell silent suddenly and Tony could feel everyone’s gazes fall upon him but he tried his best to look normal. But even that had its limits.

Tony put down his mug and got up from his seat, walking awkwardly towards his room. “I’ll just get ready and be back in ten minutes.”

He was back in five.

Bruce had just finished his cup of tea and Tony was already dressed to leave. The team knew that Tony was just faking it. Acting as if he did not care but in truth he was the one person who cared the most.

Even in the van, Tony was talking as per normal. He yakked about the tower, yakked about the arc reactor, yakked about the sustainable energy that would one day power the world. It did not need to take a secret agent trained in espionage to see that something was amiss. They only nodded and played along until they reached the hospital.

Everyone had gotten off except Tony. He was looking at a spot in between his feet and for a moment he looked a little shaken.

“Tony?” Steve called. “You coming?”

Tony looked up and grinned. “Yeah? Yeah. Coming.”

Natasha looked at Tony from the corner of her eyes in the elevator. He looked unshaken and his demeanor showed nothing. Then her gaze slipped down to Tony’s hands that were constantly clenched and unclenched. The corner of her lips quirked up and she looked back to the doors as they parted open.

Everyone walked forward and Tony found gravity working slightly harder for him as he fell to the back of the group. He watched as the group walk into the ward only to see a familiar pale face lying unconscious on the bed and another familiar blond figure slouched over his side, resting his head on his own hands.

They did not need to speak to make their presence known. Thor looked up and got up when he saw the visitors. He seemed to be avoiding Tony’s gaze as much as Tony was avoiding his.

“How is he?” Steve asked.

“Still asleep,” Thor replied. “The doctors said he was supposed to have awoken by now but… He has not.”

Steve clasped a hand on Thor’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. Everyone still stood around to look at the patient in front of them.

Tony watched the raven hair cover the pale face and wondered if he could reach out to brush it away. The gorgeous cheekbones were so obvious as the hollow of his cheeks were deeper than it was supposed to be, emphasised by the straps of the oxygen mask that he still had on. The slender hands resting lightly on his chest had so many wires and tubes on them. He could see Loki’s chest falling and rising in every breath. It wasn’t obvious beneath the many layers Loki always wore but now that it was a mere shirt and a sheet of blanket over it, he could see the slight bump on Loki’s belly and he wondered. Is it still in there?

Blinking back his tears, he looked up and caught Thor looking back at him. There was no anger in the latter’s eyes. Just a certain type of grimness in the gaze.

Thor walked out of the room and Tony knew he had to follow.

When they walked out of the room, Thor sat at the waiting seats outside and slouched, resting his arms on his knees. Tony leaned his back into the wall opposite of the thunderer and stared at the painting behind him.

“Loki trusted you,” Thor started, his voice was incredibly soft compared to his usual volume. “I trusted you.”

Tony did not shift his gaze nor moved his body, no matter how terrible the tension was. He did not even speak and Thor looked up.

“What he had for you was not simply a fleeting emotion, Stark,” Tony held his breath at the notable lack of endearment in his name’s mention. “As much as you may have chosen to take him lightly but I know my brother. He does not involve himself in things that does not truly interest him.”

“I know,” Tony said, his tone was as dry as his throat.

Thor hung his head low again, shaking his head in disbelief. “I had thought you would have seen how much he cares for you. Alas, I was wrong.”

Tony shifted his weight onto another foot and crossed his arms. It was not act of defiance. It was just an act of defense. “I didn’t think he would keep it.”

“You made your choice not to,” Thor suddenly yelled and it echoed down the halls. “And my brother has made his choice otherwise. You do not have the right to pressure him into anything!”

“I never pressured him into anything!” Tony yelled back. “If anything, it would be you who are pressuring me right now!”

“Guys!” Bruce’s voice made the two of them turn to see the doctor’s head popping out from the door. “It’s the hospital for Christ’s sake. Take it outside if you have to.”

Tony sighed and looked down to his feet. He did not want to take it outside. He did not want to take this conversation anywhere. He wanted it to stop.

“Look, I’m sorry Loki got so hurt. I know it hurts you to see him like this. I’m hurting too, believe me.”

Thor only scoffed but his eyes were still strong as steel. “I used to.”

The thunderer turned away and slinked back into the ward, leaving Bruce still peering out of the door. Tony was staring at the spot Thor was sitting at just a moment ago before leaning back into the wall again and rubbing his face in exasperation.

The team had left but Tony was still there and they didn’t even want to ask if he was going to join them. Tony was still outside of the ward and Thor was inside. They had not seen each other for hours now. Nor has Tony seen Loki.

Tony awoke with a start only to see Thor holding out a cup of coffee in front of him. The thunderer then sat down two seats to Tony’s right and sipped on his own coffee.

“I know not why you are still here,” Thor said, it was almost comforting the way he could speak so softly. “But I wish you would not stay any longer. Loki would not be pleased if he finds you here.”

“I know,” Tony replied, simply staring into his cup without taking a sip. “I just thought… I just wanted to apologize to him.”

“Hah,” Thor said almost too loudly as he looked away.

Tony turned to look at the thunderer in disbelief. He has never felt so ridiculed in his life since he was still in college. “I mean it, Thor. I want to make amends. I want to apologize for being such a dick to him.”

“I may not know much about my brother,” Thor said, pausing to sip the coffee from the cup that looks ridiculously small in his hands. “But I do know this. He will not choose you over the child he carries.”

“And I will not choose me either,” Tony said suddenly before even thinking how it might come out. “Look, it sounds crazy. But it’s not that I don’t to be a father… I just don’t want to be my father… You probably won’t understand this but… I can’t just let him leave...”

Thor looked at Tony who seemed to have shrunk in one day. His shoulders were drooping and he looked like a little boy who was about to cry anytime. Thor knew how it felt to feel sorry. He knew how it feels to apologize but to only fall on deaf ears. And he knows Loki knew the feeling too.

“Anthony Stark,” Thor began, making the other man look up to meet his eyes. “I will need to return to the tower for a change of clothes. Can I trust you to look after the Young Prince of Asgard?”

Tony’s eyes lit up immediately. He felt air pumping into his lungs and he straightened up. Nodding enthusiastically, he could only force a tired smile to the thunderer without saying anything.

“Good,” Thor said before getting up. “I will be back by nightfall. I trust you to stay…” Thor’s gazed dropped to the ground as he added. “And perhaps make amends…”

Tony got up to his feet and could not express his gratitude enough. He simply hugged the bigger man and cried, “thanks man.”


	3. Coward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony explains his side of the story and why he didn't want the child.
> 
> Loki still wants to leave for Asgard. Thor decides to just take action to stop him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh mah gosh... Didn't think this fic would have so many hits literally overnight!
> 
> If Loki and Tony's relationship is a ship never built to last, it sure is a ship that sails itself! Look at all you beautiful FrostIron shippers lol
> 
> Thanks for the support yall. I love you guys. I love you more if you love Loki. Team Loki ftw!
> 
>  
> 
> I love reviews! Feed me with reviews!

Thor had been gone for a few hours now and Tony had spent just as much time sitting next to Loki, studying his tired features. He wanted to touch Loki but he resisted it. He wanted to just brush the hair away from his face, hold his hand and blow warmth into it. He even wanted to touch Loki’s belly. Just to see if he could feel life within it. But he didn’t.

 

As much as he wanted Loki to wake up, he did not want to be the person Loki wakes up to. It could only make things worse. Loki might feel upset that the man who caused this all to him was sitting next to him and watching as he sleeps. Loki might be upset that he was even there in the first place. Such audacity to show his smug face around.

 

Or maybe Loki would be relieved to see him there. Maybe Loki would let him touch it. Feel it. Would it move? Would it recognise its father’s touch? Would it react?

 

“Don’t,” Loki’s voice startled Tony, making him look up to see that the patient’s eyes were not even open. Tony looked back and realised his hand was hovering in the air, about to touch the bump. He quickly dropped the idea and his hand to his lap.

 

Loki opened his eyes slowly and took in his surroundings. It was already nightfall as he could see the moonlight from outside and he did not even send a glance to Tony who was next to him. Shifting to sit up, Tony quickly moved forward to help Loki by propping pillows behind him.

 

“Good morn- umm… Evening…” Tony said lamely, awkward at the sound of his own voice as he helped the demigod sit up..

 

“How long have I been out?” Loki asked grimly.

 

“Three days,” Tony said as he sat down and refused to look to the patient. He kept his gaze down to his hands.

 

Loki did not give a reaction nor reply to that. He turned to reach for a cup of water which Tony automatically helped him with as well and sipped from it. Tony watched as Loki drinks, his free hand was resting on his belly as if subconsciously defending what was inside it. Tony caught the cup when Loki was done and put it aside.

 

“Where is Thor?” Loki asked.

 

“He’s gone to change clothes.” Tony replied. “He usually sits around in the days. Are you hungry? I could get you food.”

 

Tony was about to get up to ask the nurses for food when he was stopped by Loki’s simple question. “Why are you here?”

 

It caught him off-guard. Tony had thought that maybe it would be easier for the both of them if he was not there when Loki wakes up and he was right. This is the reason why he did not want to be here. He got up anyway and reached for a basket of fruits at the other end of the room that Natasha had brought in earlier.

 

“I’ve got some apples, do you want some?”

 

“Why are you here, Stark?” Loki’s tone was slightly more demanding this time but Tony ignored it.

 

“Maybe oranges? I could peel them for you…”

 

“Anthony Stark!” Loki snapped, making Tony tense in action. Loki’s voice got softer when he continued. “Answer me.”

 

Tony held the apple and oranges tight in his grip. He placed the orange back into the basket and brought the apple to the bed, his gaze fixed on the floor. He put the apple down to Loki’s bedside and walked towards the door, stopping just as he slid the door open.

 

“Please eat,” Tony said before leaving the room without even turning back.

 

When Thor came back, he brought Jane with him and was greeted by the sight of Tony sitting outside the ward. Thor’s brows knitted together in confusion.

 

“Why are you out here?” Thor asked.

 

“Loki has come around,” Tony said simply, still glaring at the floor a little too furiously. “You’re here, I should take my leave now.”

 

Tony got up and made to leave but Thor grabbed his arm. Tony did not even look at anyone and wrenched his arm away from the grip and walked out. He pulled his coat closer to his body and ducked his face. The last thing he needed was someone to recognise him. Or even worse, talk to him.

 

He dropped his coat, his shoes and everything else on his way to bed. He did not want to know anything else or anyone else. He just needed to bury his head under a pillow and block the world out. He was tired of everything.

 

Sleep was not coming. Not in this state. Never.

 

Tony pressed the pillows into his face with his hands to release the pent-up anger and considered the possibility of suffocating himself to death. The fact that he had to toss the pillow aside, gasping for air, told him otherwise.

 

Falling back into the bed and hitting his head onto bed’s headrest, he began rubbing the spot furiously before replacing the pillow and leaning back again.

 

 _Fuckin’ Loki._ He thought to himself. Then he thought that it wasn’t wrong. Not like he never did that literally.

 

This is just one of those things that Tony gets pissed off about. First, falling hopelessly in love with an ex-supervillain when he never planned to. Then, finding out _that_ same ex-supervillain is somehow pregnant with his kid. HIS KID. Or is it?

 

“No, Loki isn’t that big of a liar,” Tony thought aloud before he was able to stop himself. “He wouldn’t lie about that…”

 

At least that was an issue set aside. He thought it would be settled if Loki has an abortion. But then the demigod didn’t. And he still had the nerves to fight alongside the Avengers. Still had the will to protect Tony from those things. Instead of protecting himself and the child.

 

“Stupid!” Tony cursed aloud and swung his legs off the bed, sitting up. “Fuckin’ stupid. He calls himself a demigod. So much for that!”

 

Tony got up from his bed and walked out to the fridge. When he opened it, he simply grabbed whatever he saw first and gulped it down. The wince that followed after a sharp burning sensation in his throat told him he should have at least read what he took.

 

One swig. Two swigs. Twenty-four.

 

Before he knew it, he was being slapped awake by a familiar hand. Grunting, he opened his eyes slowly. Taking in his surroundings, he saw that he was on the couch and hugging an empty Vodka bottle from yesterday. He looked up only to see Pepper towering over him, her hands on her hips and looking angry.

 

“Anthony Edward Stark!” oh that tone is so familiar. The tone that spells trouble. There is only one way to face trouble. His favourite way.

 

“Let me sleep,” Tony grumbled and buried his face further into the couch.

 

“Oh no, no you don’t,” Pepper said, grabbing Tony by his shirt and making him sit up. “There’s no way you can avoid this.”

 

Tony grimaced at the sudden bright light entering the room and groaned. He did not see Pepper or what she was doing but he could hear her footsteps travelling around the room, around him and returning to him. She held out a glass of water and forced it into Tony’s hand after pulling the Vodka bottle out.

 

Rubbing his eye with the palm of his free hand, Tony then realised the situation. He frowned with only one eye open as he looked up to her. “Why are you here? You’re supposed to be on vacation.”

 

“And here I am, trying to fix the mess you’ve done!” Pepper all but shouted. “I’m gone for one month, Tony. One single month! Not even a complete cycle of 31 days yet and you’ve managed to flip your life upside down!”

 

Tony wished he knew what she was talking about and also wished she wasn’t actually talking about what he was thinking of. He gulped down the glass of water and placed it onto the coffee table.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Pepper,” Tony tried.

 

“You damn well do, Tony!” Pepper replied before sinking her butt next to Tony. When he looked up to glance at her, he saw her expression and wished it was not what it was. “I want you to tell me everything, Tony.” He opened his mouth to protest but she raised a hand. “I did not travel halfway around the world to hear you say it’s nothing.”

 

Tony sighed defeatedly and buried his face in his hand as he mumbled. “Loki’s pregnant.”

 

“What?”

 

“He’s pregnant. Loki is pregnant.” He said loudly and clearly this time.

 

Pepper did not reply or make any sounds after that. Tony looked up, half-thinking that his ex-assistant-cum-ex-girlfriend might have gotten cardiac arrest. But she didn’t. Pepper was just looking at Tony, an expression of indecisiveness on her face.

 

“Please tell me you didn’t,” Pepper started and Tony tensed waiting for her to finish. “Ask him to abort it…”

 

Tony just buried his face into his hands and sighed. That was the answer that Pepper had expected and it still hurt when she finds out. He knew that from the way she leaned back into the couch from her upright position.

 

“And what did he say?” Pepper asked, unable to think of a way to continue this conversation.

 

“He didn’t do it,” Tony replied softly, resting his chin on the knuckles of his clasped hands. “I… I didn’t know.”

 

Pepper sighed and thought deeply. “When Steve called me back saying that you’re in trouble… I didn’t expect it to be this kind of trouble.”

 

Tony chuckled humorlessly and leaned back as well. He could not bear to look at Pepper right now. He knows what was playing in her mind even when she does not say it. He knows it himself.

 

He knows that he is disgusting. He always knew that he was never a hero. But now he also knows that he is a coward.

 

“Tony,” Pepper started, trying to sound calm but the voice break failed her. “What are you going to do?”

 

He simply shook his head. There were too many things running through his mind and too many things that might escape through his mouth like it always has.

 

“He’s hurt,” Tony started. “And he’s pregnant…”

 

Pepper kept still, patiently waiting for the man to continue.

 

“He shouldn’t have tried to protect me,” Tony continued, his tone rising along with his anger as well. “He was stupid. He should have just let me get hit. Why should he protect me? He should protected himself! Protect the child! He shouldn’t have protected someone so disgusting… So revolting… So cowardly as me!”

 

Pepper placed a comforting hand on Tony’s shoulder to stop him from getting too worked up. Tony could feel the anger subside a little but the loathing inside was still fueling.

 

“I’m a coward, Pepper,” Tony said, a tear trickling down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away angrily. “I don’t want my child to face what I did. I don’t want to put my child through the same horrors… And I ran… I just ran from the problem. I… I left him alone to deal with it. I’m a horrible… Horrible…”

 

Before he knew it, Pepper had wrapped her arms around him. Stroking his back to calm him down like a mother would. Surprisingly, he found her arms comforting and helped him calm down more than it should. After a moment too long, Tony pulled back and wiped the tears and sweat off his face.

 

“I’m sorry, my snot’s on your jacket,” Tony said. “I’ll buy you a new one. Tailored from France…”

 

“Tony,” Pepper cut him off. “The only person you need to apologise to right now is not me. You know that.”

 

“Yeah, of course,” Tony said, gathering his courage and getting up to get another drink. It was enough emotions in a week, he decided.

 

“Tony, stop running,” Pepper said.

 

“I’m not running, I’m walking.”

 

“You know what I mean!” the lady got up and stalked Tony to the kitchen area. “You know the only reason you’re in this mess is because you’re running away from it. Tony, look at me.” Pepper cupped her hands on Tony’s face and forced him to meet her eyes. “You can’t keep running away like this. Face the problem. Tell him why you’re doing this. Tell him your reasons.”

 

“He won’t understand, Pepper.”

 

“Then make him!” she said, still holding his face. “If you run from this, you’re only going to invite more trouble.”

 

Tony could not turn his face away but he tried his best to avoid her gaze. She always had that hypnotizing look in her eyes that makes him do what she says even if he doesn’t mean to. When he finally looked at her eyes, he gulped back the lump at the back of his throat and just nodded.

 

“Good,” she said. “Get ready. We’re going to the hospital.”

 

“No, not… Not now, Pepper,” Tony said abruptly.

 

“Now,” she insisted and pushed him into the shower.

  
  


Before he could really sort out his thoughts, he was already standing at the front of the familiar sliding door. Pepper held his hand and squeezed it gently before sliding it open. Obviously Thor and Jane were sitting next to Loki but the patient was awake.

 

Tony froze roughly a step in front of the door as he watched Loki’s dark eyes looked at him. He was avidly pale and looked terribly weak for some reason. The morning light entering from the windows only made him look paler than he already was.

 

Pepper had gone forward to greet Jane and Loki but Thor had his eyes pinned only on Tony. Pepper turned around and grabbed Tony’s hand to pull him closer to the bed.

 

“How are you feeling, Loki?” Pepper asked, leaving Tony to the empty side of the bed while Tony was just at the foot of the bed.

 

“Been better,” the reply came and a small smile appeared on his lips. His gaze shifted from Pepper to Tony who still stood at the foot of the bed silently. Thor’s hands had balled into fists and Tony would not blame him if the billionaire somehow gets a dislocated jaw by the end of the hour.

 

“I just came to say hi,” Pepper said, breaking the awkward silence. “And I needed to talk to Jane too.”

 

The two ladies nodded in understand and got up to leave the room. Tony knew there was nothing to talk about. They were only leaving them alone. Jane grasped Thor’s hand firmly and meant to drag the demigod out of the room along but he did not move. Loki sent a glance up to Thor and nodded curtly before the blond finally relented and let himself be dragged out.

 

Tony could feel like his head was going to burst. Partially because of the terrible hangover, partially because Loki was staring the soul out of him. Slowly, he walked to the almost-empty fruit basket and grabbed an apple before returning to the bed. He sat on the seat Jane was occupying earlier, neither shifting to get closer nor further from Loki.

 

Loki eyed the apple consciously, knowing that Tony just needed something to get his hands on to stop himself from getting into a panic attack. Then he realised something was odd with the way Tony was holding onto the apple. His hand is hurt, Loki thought.

 

“Something to say, Stark?” Loki prompted, staring at Tony who still had his eyes fixed onto the apple.

 

“I don’t know how to say this,” Tony replied, then he looked up to meet Loki’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

 

A flicker of surprise flashed on Loki’s eyes as they met Tony’s. The glassy look in Tony’s eyes could only mean one thing. Welling tears of unsaid words and broken promises.

 

“I’m such a dick,” Tony said, looking back down to the apple. “But I thought you should know… I never imagined to have children, Loki. I never wanted them because I don’t want them to become another me… I don’t want to be a father because… I don’t want to be _my_ father.”

 

Loki schooled his face to keep calm and listen. Really listen. He had always known about Tony’s issues with his father. If anyone, it would be Loki who would understand this situation best. Never to live up to expectations. Never to live up to his father. And Loki knew now that Tony was just trying to protect himself.

 

“I don’t want to have my child feel like he was just another creation of mine,” Tony continued, gripping the apple so hard his hands were trembling. “Like I was to my father…”

 

Loki could not see it but Tony raised a hand to swipe at his own face. He was crying. But of course, Tony Stark had a reputation to uphold and that did not included crying.

 

“I love you, Loki,” Tony continued. “I love you more than I could ever tell you and it’s not that I don’t want to have children with you. I would if I was braver. Heck, I’m a fucked-up coward. I don’t have the will to father this child and just for that, you end up paying for it.”

 

Tony did not say anything else and his hands were trembling furiously, only to be steadied by a pale slender hand that rested on them. He looked up and saw Loki smiling softly at him. Loki’s touch was far more comforting than he cared to admit. Even more comforting that Pepper or anyone at all put together.

 

At that simple touch, Tony felt all his worries and pain leave him. Not sure if it was just a magic spell Loki had casted onto him or it was just a natural instinct. He was still looking at Loki when he realised the man had lifted the apple from his hands and took a bite out of it.

 

“I’m sorry for all the things I said to you,” Tony said, half-distracted by how Loki’s lips pressed against the surface of the apple. “I’m sorry I asked you to abort our child.”

 

Loki blinked and stop chewing. He might have imagined it but Tony had referred to the life inside of Loki as ‘our child’. No longer an ‘it’. But ‘our child’.

 

“I know you probably don’t want to see me anymore,” Tony said, sighing and rubbing his face. “I know you probably hate me by now…”

 

When Loki did not reply, he looked up to meet the demigod’s eyes. Loki looked away and took another bite into the apple nonchalantly.

 

“Loki…” Tony breathed, his voice was almost pleading. “Please say something…”

 

“Like what, Anthony?” Loki snapped. “That I would forgive you for asking me to kill this child?”

 

Tony reached for Loki’s hand but the demigod simply shifted it away before they could touch. Tony dropped his hands onto the bedside and hung his head. “Of course you wouldn’t…”

 

“I will not hold it against you for your decision of not fathering this child, Stark,” Tony winced at the mention of that name. Distance, he thought. “However, I have made my decision to keep him and I will bring him up even if you refuse to lay even an eye on him. I will return to Asgard and deal with my situation myself. It will not concern you.”

 

Loki’s face was hard and cold, inclined away from Tony. Then Tony realised what the situation was. It was a decision Loki to make. It was either Tony, or the child.

 

“You think-...” Tony started but faltered off trying to settle the conflicting thoughts in his own head. “Did you think I came here just to convince you to… To abort?”

 

Loki head snapped towards Tony, confusion vivid in his green eyes. “Did you not?”

 

Tony got up from his seat, rubbing his hands in exasperation and running his fingers through his hair. He began pacing around the room and Loki followed him with his eyes. Tony began to pace and Loki recognised the look in his eyes.

 

“Anthony,” Loki called but Tony kept pacing, his breaths hitching once in a while. “Anthony, calm down.”

 

“I thought talking to you would… I thought you would help… I thought you would have understood… I’m so stupid…”

 

Loki began to panic as well and almost got up but he realised the wires on his hand was restricting his movement. He raised a hand and conjured a clone of himself who immediately grabbed hold of Tony. He was easily taller than Tony and hugged the man tight in his embrace, trying to get him to calm down. Too many things were in the billionaire’s head and he began to struggle, hitting several things off the table.

 

Right this moment, Thor walked into the ward to see an illusion of Loki hugging Tony and both of them cowering at the foot of the bed. The blond quickly went forward and helped Tony up as the illusion disappear. He made Tony sit on the chair and held the man by the shoulders.

 

“What happened?” Thor asked. “Friend Stark?”

 

“Thor, get the doctor!” Loki demanded and the blond quickly peered out of the door and yelled quite loudly for a doctor. “Anthony, look at me. Anthony!”

 

Tony looked up to Loki, still breathing heavily. Loki did not know what else to say. For once, he felt his throat lock up as he watched Tony grip onto the armrests until his knuckles turn white.

 

The doctors came in soon after and began to work on Tony to get him to calm down. They brought Tony out of the room and Loki felt like getting off the bed right at that instance but the nurses told him not to.

 

Loki spent the few minutes sitting up, waiting for Thor to return with news about Tony. And when the blond did, Loki could not hide the curiosity on his face.

 

“He is asleep,” Thor replied simply, then taking the seat. “He has been given an injection to calm down.”

 

Loki felt a huge burden leave his shoulders and he leant back into the headrest. He looked down to his hands that were resting on his belly subconsciously.

 

“What did he say to you?” Thor asked suddenly. His tone was threatening but Loki knew it was not for him.

 

“He was merely apologising, Thor,” Loki replied, turning away.

 

“Did he tell you to…” the dramatic pause hinted that Thor knew about it as well.

 

“No,” Loki said quickly. “He did not.”

 

Thor looked awkward, sitting on the chair that looked ridiculously small compared to the demigod just like every other mortal thing did. “I trusted Anthony Stark with you and look what happened.”

 

“Thor,” Loki called out warningly but he did not even turn to look at the other demigod. “Do not blame him. What happened remains to be a consequence of mutual actions.”

 

“He is a coward, brother!” Thor boomed. “He does not have the rights to do that to you!”

 

“Thor!” Loki snapped, turning to look at the blond with spite in his eyes. There was shock in Thor’s eyes but he did not say a word. Then Loki’s eyes softened and he looked down to his hands. “I wish to return to Asgard.”

 

Thor simply shook his head and sighed. “I cannot allow that.”

 

“What?”

 

Thor seemed to be contemplating an action as he looked at Loki. He took a moment watching Loki before simply shaking his head to himself.

 

“Forgive me, brother,” Thor said, getting up and towering above Loki as he got closer. “This is for your own good.”

 

Loki watched in confusion as Thor grabbed his wrists and held it there for a moment. Then Thor let go of his wrists and the feeling of his warm hands were replaced by cold metal ones. Loki looked down in shock and looked up to Thor with tears welling up in his eyes.

 

“Why…”

 

“I will not risk having you travel back to Asgard in this situation, brother,” Thor said, backing away from the enraged demigod. “It is for the better.”

 

“Release me,” Loki hissed. “Now.”

 

“I’m sorry, brother,” Thor turned and took to his heels, ignoring Loki who was shouting his name after him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Tony woke up to an unfamiliar white ceiling. The bed under him felt stiff and uncomfortable. Definitely not his room. He sat up and held his head, trying to think of what happened.

 

Like a flood, the memories came rushing through his head and he realised what happened.

 

“Oh,” he said before swinging his legs off the bed and walking out.

 

He saw Thor lounging at the seats outside his ward and knew that he was not far off from Loki’s room. Sensing that Tony was there, Thor looked up and got up. “How are you feeling, Friend Stark?”

 

“Like I got hit by truck,” Tony said, rubbing his head. Then he remembered the reason he was there in the first place and he rubbed his face. “Is… Loki alright?”

 

Tony could see Thor tensing at the mention of his beloved brother. The demigod looked around the halls awkwardly. “He is in his room. I have… Restrained his magic.”

 

“You what?”

 

“I could not risk having him disappear from the hospital or returning to Asgard in this situation,” Thor explained. “He would have only gotten hurt again and returning to Asgard only promises far worse things I can dare to imagine.”

 

Tony relaxed a little when he thought about it. Thor was right. There are so many things Tony could imagine as punishments for Loki if he returned to Asgard. Not the kinky ones, the terrible ones. Tony looked up to Thor and clenched his teeth, he knew he should be expecting a punch by now.

 

“I’m sorry, Thor,” Tony said, looking at the demigod in the eyes bravely. “I would take any punishment you set for me. I just hope you know that I still love and care for Loki.”

 

The two of them stared at each other for a moment. Blue raging eyes met with nervous brown ones. Tony looked at Thor straight in the eyes as he waited for the demigod to release a punch but he did not. The reaction he had been waiting for never came.

 

The blond turned away and looked at the wall nearest to him, probably contemplating whether or not to blow a hole into it. But he turned back to Tony and pointed a finger into his face.

 

“I am only letting you go because Loki cares for you more than he would ever say,” Thor did not have to say that for Tony to know but it still comforts him to hear it coming from someone’s mouth.

 

“If you truly care for my brother,” Thor cupped the back of Tony’s neck and his tone became gentler suddenly. “You will thrive to make amends. If you truly love him…” his hand slid to Tony’s shoulder. “You will do what you deem necessary.”

 

Thor stepped back from Tony and sighed before adding an afterthought. “I do not wish to force you to father the child. Loki is well and capable to do that. I only wish you will make it clear of your decision. To everyone.”

 

Tony did not reply, his eyes were still fixed on the spot on the ground. Thor did not say anything more. He turned and walked away.

 

Everyone seemed to understand that Tony had decided not to father the child. Even Loki did. And yet Tony feel burdened by it. A certain bugging feeling at the back of his mind. Is it guilt?

 

Tony visited Loki’s ward that evening. He walked into the demigod sitting on his bed and looking out the window. Tony sat next to Loki and was about to place a hard-cover book on the bed when he realised the silver bracelets around the patient’s wrists. He remembered what Thor said earlier and proceeded to put the book in the space next to the demigod only to have him push the book off the edge. The book fell onto the ground with a thud and Tony bent down to pick it up before putting it there again.

 

Tony ignored the fact that the demigod was glaring at him furiously. He sat down on the chair and poured a glass of water.

 

“They should be clearing you to leave by tomorrow,” Tony said taking the glass of water and holding it out to Loki who didn’t take it. “I thought you would be bored while waiting so I brought a book.”

 

Tony steeled his heart and held his gaze as Loki kept shooting murderous intent through his eyes. “Drink, please. Dehydration is a bitch. I would know.”

 

Loki did not even blink. Tony sighed and placed the glass onto the bedside table.

 

“Bring Thor to me,” Loki beat Tony to saying anything. His tone was low and steady, dangerous as he always was.

 

“He’s gone to rest,” Tony said. “I’m taking care of you tonight. Is there anything you need?”

 

“I need to be released!” Loki yelled, holding his fists out to Tony. “Tell him to release me!”

 

Tony saw the look in Loki’s eyes and recognised it immediately. Pain. Hurt. Fear.

 

It was all too familiar to Tony. He looked down to the metal bracelets on the skinny arms and wished he could just pry them open for sake of this demigod in front of him but he knew he could not. Loki must have tried to take them off. The skin around his wrists and on the upper part of his hand were reddened.

 

Instead, Tony reached out and took Loki’s hands into his, ignoring the fact that Loki was pulling and wrenching away. Tony just held Loki’s hands and cupped them together, pulling the knuckles to his lips and planting a kiss on them. He then leant forward and placed the fists on his forehead.

 

Loki was still trying to move away but he was not even using half the strength he should have.

 

“I’m sorry…” Tony said, holding the hands to his face. He planted a soft kiss onto his knuckles and sighed into it.

 

Loki stopped struggling at the warmth of Tony’s ragged breathing and he had to fight back his own tears. There were so many emotions inside of him right now and he did not even know how to react to each one of them.

 

The two of them spent the whole night in silence. The room was only filled with sounds of movements and breaths as Tony gave Loki some water to drink. Tony placed the glass aside and helped Loki lie back down before pulling the sheets onto him. Loki watched as Tony place the book aside and picked up the remains of an apple that he had managed to feed Loki earlier. When he turned to throw it away, Loki grabbed his hand and stopped him.

  
Tony turned back to see Loki holding onto his hand without even looking up to him. Loki’s eyes were dazing out of focus. Tony dropped the apple centre onto the table and sat back down, pulling his chair closer to Loki so the demigod does not need to strain his arm to keep hold. Tony brushed his free hand over Loki’s forehead to keep the hair out of his beautiful face and sat there through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an additional note and afterthought. Thor knew that there was no way to stop Loki if he was really determined to leave for Asgard. Actually I don't even think Loki wants to go back to Asgard. He just doesn't want to be in Midgard anymore. 
> 
> It would be really troublesome if Loki just disappears one day and nobody knows where he is so being the overprotective brother that Thor is (in this fic), he decides to put magical restrains on Loki. Those things are just two separate metal bracelets on his wrists, not the ones that are like the conventional handcuffs.
> 
> And I promise this would be the last chapter that involves so much crying. Or so I think...
> 
> Reviews please!


	4. Apples, Pies and Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony takes Loki back to the Stark Tower. Things are getting better... Or... Not?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine.
> 
> Afteredit:
> 
> This is the second last chapter. Thanks for your support gaizzzz~

Loki woke up to a start. Something about memories just won’t stop appearing in his dreams. When one has lived for so long, good memories start to get distorted into bad ones while the bad ones would resurface like a premonition of an inevitable future.

 

The thoughts immediately left him when he saw a head resting on the bed in the space next to him. He raised a hand to stroke the dark hair and smiled.

 

The comfort that such a mortal could provide. It was almost too ridiculous. He was so indecisive and stupid but Loki still could not tear himself away.

 

Before he could think of anything else, something started creeping up his throat and he found himself trying not to spill it all over the bed. The choking sounds must have startled Tony because Loki could see his head jolting up and starting to look around confusedly.

 

Loki tapped frantically onto Tony’s shoulder with his free hand and Tony saw what was happening. Tripping over the chair in panic, Tony grabbed a plastic bag that was at the other end of the room and gave it to Loki who began regurgitating almost immediately. Tony winced as he held onto the plastic bag while Loki emptied the contents of his stomach. He would have let go if Loki hadn’t grabbed his hands to hold the bag there.

 

When Loki calmed down and seemed to be done, Tony frowned and went to drop the bag into the trash can before returning to Loki’s side. He passed a glass of water for Loki to drink and helped the demigod prop pillows onto the headboard so he could sit up.

 

“Are you feeling better?” Tony asked, instinctively massaging the back of Loki’s neck and smiled slightly as the demigod leaned into his touch.

 

“Are they feeding me with bad food?” Loki grumbled as he closed his eyes to Tony’s touch.

 

“Maybe your stomach is not agreeable to apples?” Tony asked, only to get shot by a laser glare from the demigod.

 

“Don’t you dare touch my apples,” the threat would have sounded really scary if it did not end with a moan when Tony pressed onto the spot on his nape. Then Loki guided Tony’s hand down as he hung his head low. ”A little lower.”

 

“Here?”

 

The demigod only hummed and sighed. Never has he gone through such pains in his whole entire very long life. He would have taken a stab through his chest and still survived somehow. And now he’s just sitting in a mortal hospital, strapped with pathetic mortal instruments all over him, like a weak mortal that he is not. Or at least, not supposed to be.

 

The doors slid open and Tony looked to see who it was. Pepper, Natasha and Clint walked in. Pepper looked cheerful as usual, Natasha looked serious and calm while Clint had his eyebrows furrowed at them.

 

“Good morning,” Pepper said, walking forward. Natasha didn’t say a word but merely gave a nod to Loki and then to Tony.

 

“What’s that smell?” Clint crinkled his nose, looking to his right and successfully pointing out the source of it.

 

“Loki essence,” Tony said only to receive a punch in his thigh for that.

 

The new visitors looked fairly surprised at that. Pepper dramatically enlarged her eyes at Tony and he knew what she was implying on. But he was thankful that Pepper did not actually bring it up.

 

“My stomach is not taking anything,” Loki said. “It seems to be rejecting the pathetic food that this place is feeding me with.”

 

“Oh no, it’s just morning sickness,” Pepper said, still smiling even when everyone’s attention suddenly snapped up to her. “That’s pretty common for pregnant women… Although of course… You’re not… But I guess human baby affects the carrier as well.”

 

Loki could only raise a hand and hide his face at that. Why did he not think of that?

 

“Whatever it is, I want out of here as soon as possible,” Loki said. “This place is making me sicker than I already am.”

 

“Of course, of course,” Tony said. “We’ll just clear it with the admin and you’ll be home in no time.”

 

And he did.

 

By afternoon, Tony had threatened enough doctors and nurses to release Loki. As much as Tony hated hospitals, he knew Loki did too. Besides, there was no reason to keep Loki in the hospital when there is clearly nothing the doctors or nurses could do to him. Literally.

 

They tried to get a scan for the baby but it screwed up the devices before they got a proper picture of the child. When asked if perhaps Loki placed some protective charms on himself, the demigod merely feigned dumb and looked away.

 

They made arrangements for Loki to return to the tower and into the room he had previously been occupying which was the guest room located at the communal floor. Back before he officially shifted into Tony’s room of course.

 

For some reason Loki refused to shift back into Tony’s room. Even though Tony could not help but feel slighted, he could only feel more than grateful that at least he has another chance to care for Loki and as Thor placed it, ‘ _make amends_ ’.

 

Even when nobody asked, Loki made it clear that he would leave as soon as he delivered the child and has his magic restored. He would have left for Asgard on his own if he did not have the restrains and Heimdall would never open the Bifrost to him. Loki never planned to stay for too long and he knew there was no reason to do that either.

 

It only took a week after discharge for Loki to spring back to action. Not in physical sense of action. Just in terms of familiarity with everyone in the tower. He was still cold to Tony, avoiding him where possible. But his reaction towards Thor simply takes the cake.

 

Loki refuses to be in the same room with Thor for even a minute. He wakes up extra early to have breakfast so that when Thor appears, Loki would have finished and get up from his seat and leave for his bedroom. JARVIS was somehow convinced and programmed to stop Thor from opening the door to Loki’s room. The door would lock itself automatically to shut Thor out while everyone else could actually open it.

 

Tony knew Loki was still upset that Thor had taken his most prized possession away from him but Tony just told the thunderer that it might be the hormonal imbalance at work. Although he doesn’t even know if Loki could have hormonal imbalance but Thor didn’t know either and accepted it at that.

  
  


Two months have passed and Loki’s baby bump had grown a tad bit, giving his slender figure more curve. He had started to put on a little weight around his legs and arms and his cheeks were no longer scarily hollow.

 

Tony walked into the communal floor after tinkering with an experimental specimen that he had earlier. He saw Loki lying on his back on the couch, his head on one armrest and his long legs on the other. He was reading a book and looked so carefree that Tony almost felt like scolding the demigod. But then again there was no reason to scold him for just lying on the couch.

 

But Tony still felt like picking on Loki for all the mess he caused over the stay. In just two months, Loki has done so much more mischief than he had done over two years. But he had magic back then and now he doesn’t. So how does that even make sense?

 

The worse thing was that Tony never caught Loki doing such mischief. The demigod always either did it when he wasn’t around or he would recover from doing such mischiefs quick enough for Tony to even catch wind of it. Of course the victims of the pranks would end up screaming in Tony’s ear.

 

 _Fuckin’ pregnant sexy demigods_ , Tony cursed in his mind and prayed Loki did not hear it somehow. He knew the demigod could not read minds but sometimes it still felt as if he could.

 

Tony set down a glass and poured a drink for himself as he thought of what he could talk to the demigod about. Then he decided to go with the safest topic. Or maybe just go for the most dangerous one since he’s already at it.

 

“Loki,” Tony called out, receiving only a hum in acknowledgement. “Did you see Thor?”

 

Tony knew he was just pushing a button that would cause Loki to flip tables at him but the reaction did not come. Loki simply flipped a page and continued reading. “No.”

 

“You should go meet him,” Tony continued, holding his drink in one hand and walking towards the demigod. He sat on the coffee table and continued. “I mean, I get it that you’re upset with him and all. But he looks so sad that he hasn’t seen you for a while…”

 

“Pie,” Loki said suddenly.

 

“Huh?”

 

Loki closed the book, leaving his thumbs still in between it to keep the page he was reading there. He looked up to Tony who was looking directly at him. “I want apple pie. Get me apple pie.”

 

“Now?”

 

“Now,” Loki said firmly.

 

Tony tilted his head slightly to the door and called aloud, “JARVIS?”

 

_“Yes, Mr Stark.”_

 

“No,” Loki interrupted, staring at Tony so hard the billionaire thought his head might catch fire. “I want YOU to get me apple pie.”

 

“Me?” Tony squeaked.

 

“Yes.”

 

Tony furrowed his eyebrows in surprise and simply nodded before getting up. He was still looking confused when he walked towards the elevator. Loki could only hide his smile behind the book as he continued to read.

 

Roughly a few minutes after Tony walked out of the common floor, Loki got up from the couch. It was too quiet. He loved it quiet when he reads, but _this_ is just too quiet.

 

He decided to go down to Bruce’s lab and take a peek at what the doctor might be doing. Right he was, the doctor was back-facing the door and poring over something through his little device to make things look bigger. A microscope, his memory helpfully quipped.

 

Instead of making his presence known, Loki simply stood there behind the doctor and waited for him to realise it himself. Loki had his hands behind his back and he was standing slightly slouched than usual, adapting to the weight on his front.

 

It did not take more than a minute for him to finally see a change in the doctor’s demeanor. Loki simply watched from his back as he reacted.

 

First he looked up from the microscope and paused before turning to glance over his shoulder, only to topple to his side with much less grace. Loki schooled his face to not break into a laugh and passed it off with an amused grin.

 

“Jeeeeeesus,” the doctor wheezed, holding his chest. “You do know that if the other guy comes out you’ll be smashed through the floor right?”

 

Loki gave a scoff and rolled his eyes, “as if you haven’t done that already.”

 

Bruce took a deep breath and calmed himself down, holding back the thing that was begging to be unleashed as he watched Loki walk around the lab, eyeing the lack of decor with very little interest.

 

“What brings you here?” Bruce finally asked, straightening up to look at the demigod who was at least a head taller than he.

 

“Ennui,” came the answer. “Stark is out to get some food for me and has yet to return. While I enjoy the silence and privacy that everybody has been giving me, I help not but to feel affected by the… Monotony…”

 

He had finished rounding the table and came to the spot the doctor was working on earlier and took a peek at what the was through the microscope. He twisted the meter around the lenses to get a clearer view of what he was looking and realised it was a cluster of cells. Not that he had any interest in it but he just wanted to see what the doctor was so intently working on earlier.

 

“So you came down because you were bored?” Bruce rephrased it simply, mentally slapping himself for not figuring that out earlier. “I would like to help you ease your boredom but I am… Kind of tied down.”

 

“Are you?” Loki’s tone was filled with disinterest as he straightened up and turned to look to the doctor. “I suppose I would not do any good disturbing a good doctor who is working on saving the world.”

 

Bruce simply looked confused as the demigod strutted back out the door and raise a hand before disappearing with a simple, “see ya.”

 

The elevator doors parted and Loki pursed his lips as he appeared on the training floor. The lights were set to dim and he knew someone was bound to be there.

 

Right he was when he heard a familiar sound of a thud. Right around the corner, he saw a man with an arrow and a bow aiming straight for the target. He hooked another arrow onto his bow and drew the string back before his eyes left the target and glazed over with a look of focus.

 

Clint turned to his right and did not see anyone. Weird, he thought as he kept his eyes to the spot and releasing the arrow in his hand. He did not need to turn to confirm that the arrow had hit the target and placed his weapons down.

 

“Nice shot,” a voice cracked the silence and cause Clint to grab his weapon again, aiming it at the face of the intruder.

 

Loki simply looked unamused as the arrow was aimed directly to his face. He had his arms crossed on his chest, slightly higher than the little bump on his belly and was leaning on the wall a distance away from Clint.

 

The archer took a deep breath and sighed, dropping his stance but not dropping the weapon. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Just taking a walk,” Loki shrugged. “For a change.”

 

Clint eyed Loki suspiciously. No matter how long they have been living under the same roof, Clint was still the least-convinced Avenger when it comes to Loki. The name of the Liesmith and repentance just did not fit into one sentence to him.

 

“Speaking of changes,” Loki suddenly turned back to Clint and eyed the shorter man’s hair. “I see you have taken a liking to the shade of the Captain’s uniform.”

 

Clint fidgeted at that point. He knew his hair was an odd shade of blue and it was just for his recent mission. He absent-mindedly ran his fingers through his hair and looked away from the demigod. “I will not discuss my missions with you.”

 

“Fancy,” Loki said, obviously ignoring the discomfort that Clint was feeling. Who wouldn’t be uncomfortable if a pregnant, handsome demigod was staring at your sky blue hair? “It kind of reminds me of a certain kind of food… What do you call it? … Ice cream.”

 

Clint furrowed his eyebrows and turned to look at Loki who was still staring at his hair. “Okay, quit staring. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

 

“Actually, yes,” Loki quipped before Clint could even say anything else. “Do you know where I could possibly find a cone of ice cream in that colour?”

 

Clint looked like Loki had just stuffed a bunch of lemons into his mouth. “What?”

 

Loki did not reply or give any expression to that reaction but simply sent a glance to the target boards before scoffing. “I thought they said you never missed.”

 

Loki looked at Clint before tilting his head and gestured to the board with his eyes, prompting the other to look. Clint sent a glance back to the target he had aimed for earlier. He had not recovered from the previous expression when a look of utter confusion took over Clint’s face when he saw the board. He did not even realise when the demigod has side stepped him and walked out of the training area.

 

When Tony returned roughly an hour and a half with sweet-smelling, freshly-baked apple pie in his hand, he realised that the common floor was a little lacking of the God of Mischief. Cocking his head to one side, he looked around the area and placed the pie onto the counter.

 

“J?” Tony called out.

 

_“Yes, Mr Stark.”_

 

“Where’s Loki?”

 

_“In his room, sir. Taking a nap.”_

 

Tony walked into the room and saw the demigod’s beautiful sleeping form, lying on his side. He contemplated to wake Loki up but the peaceful look on his face changed his mind. Tony hooked a strand of hair from Loki’s face and pulled it away, then looking down at the pale hands and the bump that they were resting on.

 

He eyed the bump consciously, not knowing what should be running through his mind right now.

 

There was child in there, somewhere. And he couldn’t imagine what it could look like when it came out. It wasn’t just the fact that its carrier was some alien ex-supervillain prince who tried to dominate the world just about a few years ago but the fact that it was Tony’s seed that made him wonder.

 

Would it come out looking exactly like him sans the beard? Would it come out with green eyes like Loki’s or brown ones like Tony’s? Would it come out looking human or maybe look a little alien? It should come out handsome, though. That’s a given. What with handsome fathers-...

 

Tony froze when he found himself looking up at a scowling demigod. He didn’t realise that Loki might have awakened while he was just sitting there staring at the baby bump like he was some sort of evil creature that wishes to devour an unborn.

 

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Tony got up from the bed and rubbed the back of his head as he could feel Loki still staring at him. Tony quickly helped Loki up when the trickster moved from the lying position.

 

“I smell something nice,” Loki said as he got up and walked towards the door.

 

“Yeah, I got you the apple pie you wanted,” Tony said almost too proudly. “I managed to actually find it in less than 2 hours. But I had to drive quite a long way around town for it so it would really help if you actually finish it.”

 

Loki had opened the pie box and fiddled with the wrapping. The sweet smell broke into the air when the wrapping was opened and even Tony found himself taking in the delicious smell. When he opened his eyes, he found Loki staring at him murderously.

 

“That would be all,” Loki said curtly before closing the flap of the pie box, eyes not leaving Tony.

 

“What?” Tony choked. “I don’t get a bite?”

 

Loki picked up his pie box and shifted it into the microwave, not even caring that the box was too big to fit in as he stuffed it in anyway. Tony’s jaw hung slack as he watched Loki cross his arms on his chest and turned his attention back to him.

 

“Not even a thank you?” Tony breathed.

 

Loki did not even blink at that comment. Upset at the act, Tony walked out of the communal floor without even looking back to Loki.

 

The demigod let his eyes linger at the spot Tony was standing at just a moment ago and sighed. He knew he was just pissing Tony off but the genius deserves it. Loki thought about it for a moment and shook it off his head.

 

“JARVIS,” Loki called out as he opened the microwave oven again and struggled to pull the box out.

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Can you get Agent Romanov for me?”

  
  


Natasha eyed the slices of pie in front her suspiciously although her facade gave nothing away. She watched as Loki laid out more food that he had stashed from the top cabinet and in the fridge. The demigod seemed to have stashed food everywhere.

 

When Loki finally sat his butt down onto the chair opposite of the agent with a sigh, he looked up at her with a blank look.

 

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked.

 

When she didn’t reply, he shrugged and started to dig into the enormous amount of food in front of him. Natasha could not help but furrow her eyebrows as she watched him take a piece and slice of everything onto his plate. He jabbed his fork into the pie and took a mouthful of it. The delight on his face amused Natasha enough to crack a smile.

 

Loki hummed as he chewed onto the pie, “It’s good. Try it!”

 

She smiled as he picked up a slice of the pie and placed it onto her plate. “Why did you call me here?”

 

“To eat, of course,” Loki replied as he licked the fork. “I can’t possibly finish all this food alone. I have a craving, not a famine.”

 

Loki could have sworn he heard Natasha chuckle as she shook her head and picked up her own fork. Pushing her fork into the pie she decided Loki was worth looking at in a new light.

 

She could see the shiny metal bracelets on Loki’s wrists and quickly diverted her attention when he pulled his sleeves down a little to hide the bracelets.

 

“Are you still upset with Thor?” she asked as she took a mouthful of the pie. Loki did not even tense at that question as he continued to eat.

 

“Should I not be?”

 

“He looks horrendously upset every time you avoid him,” Natasha shrugged as she chewed on more pie and reached out for a plate of blueberries. Loki instinctively pulled the plate towards Natasha so she does not need to stretch too far.

 

“He ought to be,” Loki continued angrily but it diffuses upon the taste of the delicious pie on his tongue. When he continued, his voice was no longer holding half the anger he was supposed to sound. “He took away the most important part of my life. He should at least feel the contrition.”

 

Natasha scoffed and ate as she kept an eye on him. He was so indulged in the pie that she did not feel like probing further but her espionage senses were tingling. “What if he doesn’t release you?”

 

Loki’s hands stopped for a moment but she could not see his face to determine what he was feeling. He calmly continued to tear the pie apart and scooped it up into his mouth. She still watched him as he ate and she realised he was avoiding the question. She was about to continue eating when he finally spoke.

 

“How would you feel if someone took away all your skills?” Loki asked, not looking up to meet her eyes. “Broke every bone in your body so you can’t move. Shut away your senses. Chained your hands and legs down to the ground but tell you that you are free to move...”

 

“Loki,” she called sharply, making the demigod snap out of his anger. He looked down and realised that he had bent the fork he was holding onto, digging it into the countertop so hard that it left a stab mark.

 

Loki’s eyes softened and he chuckled, picking the fork out. “Hormones.”

 

Natasha’s left hand released the dagger she had hidden under her pants but did not relax as Loki got up and grabbed another fork, tossing the bent one into the trash.

 

“Excuse my actions. I seem to have gotten carried away,” Loki said with a smile as he returned to his seat.

 

Natasha watched as he continued to eat, ducking his head away to avoid making eye contact with her. He must be really upset with the whole thing. The fact that he was carrying a child that was not wanted by its own father, imprisoned in a tower in the name of rehabilitation, locked away from the one and only weapon that he had relied his whole life upon… She understood his point of view.

 

“I can’t say I know how you feel,” Natasha began. “But I know how it feels to be rendered helpless. It’s just not a good feeling but… It will get better. In time.”

 

He looked up and matched her eyes. Their faces were calm and gave away nothing but he knew she meant it as much as he did earlier.

 

“In time,” he agreed, a quirk appearing at the end of his lip. The two unlikely duo continued eating until the elevator opened with a soft hiss.

 

“I said I’m not gonna tell you,” Pepper’s unmistakable voice could be heard as she walked in.

 

“Why?” that would be Clint.

 

As the two of them entered Loki’s line of sight, he could see their faces lighting up at the amount of food and the delicious smell that greeted them. Clint’s hair was already dyed back to a shade of blond that was close to his natural colour, suggesting that his mission was over.

 

“Oh my god!” Pepper exclaimed happily as she stepped closer. “Are you having your cravings?”

 

Loki smiled and took another bite of the pie. “You should try these, they’re heavenly.”

 

Pepper went forward to grab a plate and Clint still looked suspicious before exchanging a look with Natasha. The fact that the Black Widow was eating with the demigod probably meant something huge.

 

“I see you have fixed your hair,” Loki said, looking at Clint’s hair again and the archer simply ran his fingers through his hair. “Have some pie.”

 

Clint rolled his eyes and jumped onto the seat next to Natasha, grabbing a plate himself. “I’ll take this as a bribe to not tell Tony that you shifted all my target boards to the opposite side.”

 

“Or not,” Loki shrugged. Clint’s face softened as he really looked at all the food stacked on the counter.

 

“Damn, this place looks like a bear stocked up food for winter,” Clint joked as he helped himself.

 

Conversation flowed easily from cravings to all sorts of delicious food to morning sickness. Loki found that his morning sickness had alleviated quite a fair bit but his cravings had become much worse.

 

Pepper shared an experience where her cousin did not have cravings while she was pregnant but her husband was the one who had the trouble. It did not quite make sense to Clint and Natasha but apparently it really did happen. Loki smiled to himself as he thought what Tony would have done if he had cravings instead. Maybe half the city would have “Stark” stamped over their signboards by now.

 

When there was only one slice left of the pie and Clint was about to take it, Loki snatched the plate away from the archer. That act earned him a shocked look shot from the other three. Clint looked abashed at the fact that he just got a pie snatched away from him.

 

“I was hoping to keep a slice,” Loki explained himself quickly, before glancing to Natasha. “For Anthony.”

 

Clint cringed at the mention of the name and reached out for another tart while Pepper simply smiled knowingly. Natasha looked at Loki briefly and took the plate from his hands.

 

“I’ll keep it safe from prowling eyes,” she said, placing the plate on her side, away from Clint who shot her a look that she ignored. “You go and take your rest. We’ll clean this up later.”

 

“Thank you,” Loki said and he got up from the kitchen, heading for the bedroom.

 

His legs were killing him already and he half-wished Tony was there to do the massaging on his feet. He sat on his bed and stretched his legs out, sighing in relief. He closed his eyes for a moment to rest and after a moment, he realised something was odd. He opened his eyes and glowered at the bulk standing right in front of him.

 

It was Thor.

 

“Get out,” Loki said, slipping down and lying on his side.

 

“Brother,” Thor called taking a step closer but stopped because he knew it would not help to intrude into Loki’s personal space.

 

“Get out,” Loki repeated, shutting his eyes. He really wished that he still had his magic so he could simply fling Thor out of the room. Then he realised something and shouted over his shoulder. “How did you even get in here?”

 

“The Eye of the Hawk allowed me entry,” the thunderer replied.

 

Loki hissed and made a mental note to turn the shooting range pink as soon as he got his magic back.

 

“Brother, I just mean to talk,” Thor said softly and Loki could almost imagine those big puppy eyes he had. He sighed but did not continue and he could feel the bed dip near his legs, telling him that Thor must have seated himself down. “I know how difficult this phase is for you but it is for your own good. Have faith in me. I mean no harm.”

 

“Do you?” Loki sat up, clenching the bed sheets to refrain himself from clenching Thor’s throat instead. “Do you understand how difficult it is? Do you understand the pain of having a part of you taken away? Do you really?”

 

“Loki, I know how it feels,” Thor said, trying to explain himself. “I know how empty it feels when you can’t reach out to something that belongs to you. I know it for I have lost Mjolnir once.”

 

“Mjolnir?” Loki spat in disdain. “Do not compare my magic to your impertinent hammer.”

 

“Loki,” Thor called out in warning.

 

“Your hammer is but a weapon! A mere form of means for you to rule. To conquer. To claim the throne of Asgard!” Loki’s eyes were welling with tears by now. “But my magic is a part of me. It grows with me, within me! It protects me. Guides me. It is an extension of me!” The trickster thrusted his arms forward, showing his wrists to the blond demigod. “These things! They do not restrict my magic. It restricts ME! It’s killing me!”

 

Thor resisted the need to give a backhand into Loki’s face and turned away instead, getting away. Before he could get up from Loki’s bed, he felt the trickster grabbing his shirt and forcing him to look into his eyes.

 

Loki’s eyes were filled with tears, spilling as he whispered helplessly, “Release me.”

 

Thor’s face turned hard and unfathomable. He held Loki’s wrists in his hands and tugged it, releasing the lapels of his armor from the trickster’s hands. “Pardon me, brother.”

 

At that, the blond demigod quickly got up and took on his heels, slamming the door open a little too harshly it might have broken off its hinges. Loki calmed himself down and resisted the temptation to scream. Instead, he touched his belly and sighed. He wiped his tears away and slid back into bed.

 

“JARVIS,” he called out. “I will not be disturbed under any circumstances.”

  
_“Yes, sir.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Thor has been so much of a prick, as much as Tony is as well. But he really isn't so smart. 
> 
> Quote unquote Loki: "Verily, brother. Your teeth is brighter than you are."
> 
> Or something like that. So yeah, very dense, confused and busy Thor leads to many stupid decisions.
> 
>  
> 
> P.s. Sorry if the pace is too fast. This was just an idea that popped up in my head and I needed to write it down before I lose interest in it. But I welcome anybody who is interested to expand scenes or even do a spinoff of this. That would be interesting, a spinoff of a spinoff. lol
> 
> Feedback please~!


	5. Chocolate Mousse Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki craves. Tony suffers.
> 
>  
> 
> Lack of time and idea for a summary. #sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thank you so much for all the kudos and comments and hits and even bookmarks on my very first fic on the site. This is officially the last chapter of the series but I will have an epilogue chapter afterwards so do stay tuned after the credits ;)

Loki did not see Thor anymore for almost a month after that encounter. Their shouting competition was enough to keep anyone from even asking if they wanted to see each other. Even Tony who wasn’t there to experience it first-hand knew. Probably from a certain Purple Princess who had a liking of air vents.

 

The pregnant demigod figured that if his overly-attached not-brother was not in the Avengers Tower, the Thunderer is probably back in Asgard and doing so many things that Loki wished he could be doing. Instead he’s still stuck here waiting to pop out and ordering a billionaire around. Not that he was complaining, of course.

 

Loki’s cravings had gotten slightly better and Tony was actually thankful that he did not ask for anything out of the world. Literally.

 

All he asked for was more sweets, desserts and all sorts of pastry. But the taxing part was that Tony had to go fetch them himself. For some reason, Loki always knew who got the food for him and would not actually touch it if he sensed it was not fetched by Tony. 

 

There was an occasion where Tony was too tired to actually get the food, he went out to fake it and called Bruce to get it instead. Loki got so angry when he found out Tony did not get it himself that the billionaire could not find his repulsor for over a week. Obviously the Iron Man suit looked hilarious without their gloves and repulsor but it was also a good thing that there wasn’t a real need for the suits in that week.

 

And of course the food was abandoned until Tony got them himself. In those occasions, Clint would get to eat the food.

 

It was a usual Movie Night at the tower. They were all hanging out in the communal floor, lounging as they watched a movie. Loki took the entire loveseat to himself, forcing Tony to sit on the floor instead. The pregnant demigod was like a cat, stretching his long limbs at every chance he got.

 

Tony had an arm resting on the space next to Loki on the loveseat and had his fist held up to support his head. Bruce was out to fetch something (for himself, not for Loki - he swore to never get involved in the demigod’s cravings ever again). Clint was out for a mission as usual. Thor has sworn not to come close to Loki until the baby is due so he was not even welcome. Only Natasha was lying on the ground on a bean bag and Steve was lying beside her like a log with a bunch of cushions atop him.

 

The occasional laughter from everyone as they watched the movie was all the interaction there was and Tony let his mind drift back to roughly five months ago before all this happened.

 

Tony would have slipped off with Loki to get their own version of fun. Sure bonding with the team was fun and all but there were so many other things Tony could think of doing. He sent a glance to Loki who did not seem to notice and then glanced to the pretty big baby bump. For all these months, Tony did not even try to lay hands on Loki. The only places he was allowed to touch was Loki’s neck (to ease the back pain), calves (to ease the ankle swelling) and that was it. The billionaire felt like a servant more than anything.

 

“Tony,” that wretched familiar tone made the billionaire shrink and slide down to the floor. “I want chocolate mousse cake.”

 

“What?!” Tony scrambled back up to look at Loki’s face to see if he was joking. “It’s 1 in the morning where am I supposed to find that?”

 

“I don’t know,” Loki shrugged, giving an innocent look as he munched on an apple slice. “You’re the genius.”

 

Tony rubbed his face in exasperation as the others turned their attention to the two of them. The movie was completely forgotten within that few minutes.

 

“Loki,” Tony started, trying to sound rational. “I just came back from getting you those Granny Smith apples today. I even had to attend a meeting in place of Pepper. You have no idea how tired I am. Now you want chocolate mousse cake? I’m starting to think it’s not a craving. Are you just trying to make me lose some weight?”

 

Loki stopped eating and swung his legs over Tony’s head, making the genius duck, as he sat up. It was a wonder how flexible he was even when his belly was already pretty big. He looked straight at Tony and narrowed his eyes.

 

“It’s a craving, Anthony Stark,” Loki spat. “It does not just happen because I want it to. My child wants to have a taste of it and I want my child to be fully nourished when he comes. You will get me that cake!”

 

“Oh no, you do not take that tone on me, Loki!”

 

“Guys, calm down,” Steve’s voice was drowned as the shouting continues. Tony and Loki were staring at each other in the eye and were even yelling at the stupidest things the Avengers would have ever heard. Nobody could even follow with that they were yelling about.

 

“You asked me for grapefruit-...”

 

“The child requires nourishment-...”

 

“Do you know how difficult it is to find that?”

 

“If you haven’t realised-...”

 

“I’m so tired and you’re still asking for things!”

 

“I’m in this situation because of you!”

 

“You were just lying around the whole day!”

 

“I didn’t ask for this!”

 

“It’s 1 in the morning can’t you be a little rationa-...”

 

“I want my Chocolate Cake!” Loki stopped abruptly with a sharp intake of air.

 

Everyone got up to their feet in panic, seeing that Loki had his hands on his belly and his eyes were huge as saucers. Even Tony was crouching, his hands hovering over the belly as if it was a time bomb that was about to blow. 

 

The absence of Bruce in the room was only making them panic even more as nobody had the proper training or experience to handling pregnancy. Especially not pregnant demigods.

 

“Wha- what happened?” Tony panicked.

 

“He kicked…” Loki breathed and gasped again. “He kicked again!”

 

“What? He’s old enough to kick already?” Tony asked and realised it was a stupid question when Loki smacked his palm lightly on the billionaire’s head.

 

“He’s seven months old, you quim,” Loki snarked before the elated look returned to his face. “Oh he kicked again!”

 

Tony inched forward and held the baby bump in his hands, feeling it and jumping when he feels the movement inside. A full-fledged grin spread across Tony’s face and he began to feel for the movements again.

 

“Jesus, he kicks real hard!” Tony laughed and then he froze.

 

Even the smile on Loki’s face began to slip.

 

Tony looked up to Loki’s face and retracted his hand. It was actually the first time Tony ever tried to make contact with the child. The  _ very first _ time.

 

Their eyes met for a moment before Loki decided to step away and leave. It was stifling his breath to simply stand there and face Tony but there were too many things that he had to worry about.

 

The billionaire simply watched as Loki walked to his room and closed the door behind him. Steve and Natasha exchanged a look and turned back to face Tony.

 

“I guess we’ll just be leaving,” the captain said, picking up his can of beer and a bag of chips he was munching on earlier. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

Tony did not reply but simply gave a curt nod. When the two guests left, Tony had to sigh and look at the time again.

 

“JARVIS,” he called as he went to grab his coat. “Where can I get a Chocolate Mousse cake at this time?”

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Loki sat in the middle of his bed with the covers on him all the way to his baby bump. He had spent the whole time thinking about everything and nothing, a hand absentmindedly rubbing on the bump. He was startled when he heard a knock on his door.

 

“Come in,” the demigod said.

 

Tony peered into the room and gave a smile. He pushed the door open completely and walked in with much effort as he juggled three saucers of cake in his hands. Loki’s eyes lit up when he saw the cakes in amusement and in surprise.

 

“I didn’t know which one you might be thinking of,” Tony said, walking slowly towards the bedside so that he doesn’t drop the cakes. “I bought these three because I really liked them. I just thought you might want to have a taste of them anyway.”

 

Loki helped to pick out the saucers from Tony’s hands and the billionaire visibly relaxed as the weight was taking off him. The demigod looked at the three slices of cake on the saucers and narrowed his eyes at them. They actually all looked too similar except for the design of the cream on it.

 

“What is the difference, you may think?” Tony started, sitting down on the space next to the demigod’s legs. “I figured you had a sweet tooth so I got this one. Raspberry Chocolate Mousse. That one is a different type of chocolate cake. You see the three layers? It’s called the Triple-Layered Chocolate Mousse Cake. Creative, I know.”

 

Loki simply watched as Tony pointed out the cakes and then the billionaire picked up a saucer and pointed at it like it was a gem.

 

“This one is my favourite. Hazelnut cream. Delicious stuff. Not too sweet but definitely ever so indulging. Damn, I’m salivating already. So go on, take your pick before I get my drool all over them.”

 

Tony placed the cake down next to the row of other cakes. He looked up and saw that Loki was looking at him, smiling. Not scowling. Not staring. Just smiling.

 

“Thank you,” Loki said earnestly before picking up the cake that Tony just put down. He passed it to Tony and waited for him to take it. “I want to have that.”

 

Tony took the saucer and a fork, confused. Then he smiled and took a forkful before feeding it to Loki who ate it deliciously. The genius had to grin when the demigod gave a blissful look to the taste of the cake.

 

“Delicious isn’t it?” Tony quipped.

 

Loki nodded and pointed at the next saucer. Tony picked it up and took a forkful of it before feeding it to Loki again. The cycle repeated until Loki settled to have the Triple-Layered cake crowned as his favourite. He began to savour it for himself and Tony simply smiled as he watched the demigod eat it.

 

Tony was allowed to finish the Hazelnut cake as Loki couldn’t get to finish them. It was 3 am and like Loki mentioned before, he has a craving, not a famine. Loki stole glances as Tony ate the cake like a little boy. Cream was getting on his lips and he did not even look like he knew.

 

Rolling his eyes, Loki set down for their cakes and leant in to lick the cream off his lips. Tony’s eyes grew large in surprise and he froze as Loki licked his lips and nipped on them, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Loki hadn’t planned to kiss Tony or nibble on his lips like he was doing but after licking the cream, even the demigod could not stop himself from the delicious taste of the genius’ lips.

 

Before he knew it, Tony had leant in and kissed him back. The taste of chocolate made it more enjoyable. The delicious taste of Loki’s tongue and the aftertaste of alcohol was evident in Tony’s tongue. He must have taken a swig before entering the room, the demigod thought.

 

It’s been far too long since they relished each other’s taste. Far too long since the issue at hand brought them apart. The kiss was deep and sensual, but less arousing than it was supposed to be. Perhaps because of a trickle of tear that were streaming down Tony’s face.

 

Loki broke off the kiss, leaning back to look at the genius’ face. Tony was ducking his face and chuckling at himself.

 

“I’m sorry,” the genius said as he began stabbing into the cake mindlessly. “I just… I missed that… So much...”

 

The demigod extended a hand and made the billionaire look to meet his eyes, rubbing a thumb over his cheek to wipe away the tears. Then he returned his focus back to the cake.

 

“Loki…” Tony began, looking at the demigod who was avoiding his eyes. “I missed you so much…”

 

Loki did not look up but simply continued to play with the piece of cake in his plate. “I know.”

 

The continued to eat without speaking for the rest of the time. When they were done, Tony carried the plates and put them into the sink. He tucked Loki into bed and was about to leave when the demigod held his hand.

 

“Stay,” Loki whispered, lying on his side to rest the weight of his belly on the mattress. “Please?”

 

“Of course,” Tony smiled. He climbed into bed and tucked himself under the sheets, resting himself next to Loki. It was a familiar sight, going to sleep next to the demigod, feeling his warmth and then waking up with it. It has been far too long. Far too long.

 

Tony was unsure of what to do as he watched Loki sleep throughout the night. He smoothened the hair out of his lover’s face and sighed at how peaceful he looked. Then Loki’s eyebrows knitted together in his sleep, a painful wince came upon his face and his breaths became unsteady.

 

The billionaire panicked for a moment and did not know what to do. It was one of those nightmares that Loki had been seeing since forever. He had thought perhaps Loki would have gotten over it but it was only clear now that just like him, Loki had gone back to having trouble sleeping without the other in their arms.

 

So Tony wrapped his arms around Loki and pulled him in as close as their bodies could allow them to, caressing the demigod’s back as he did so. He could feel Loki relax and fall back into slumber in his arms. He planted a kiss on Loki’s hair and began to worry himself.

 

What if Loki really left after he delivered the child? 

 

What if maybe Heimdall decides to open up the Bifrost to Loki for no reason? 

 

What if these cuffs broke and one day Loki just disappears from the tower? Was there a chance of that? 

 

Of course there is always a chance. This is Loki we’re talking about. But what if it really happened?

 

“What am I going to do?” Tony thought aloud and gulped the worry down in throat.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  
  


“Pepper!”

 

“Oh my god, Tony you sca- where are you taking me? TONY!”

 

It was a matter of moments when Tony burst into Pepper’s office, took her out and was now in a car. She stared at Tony as the billionaire drove out to the city. His hair was disheveled as it always was when he wakes up from his sleep and he was fidgeting once in a while as though there were so many things zooming through his head.

 

“Okay, are you going to tell me or am I supposed to take this as kidnap?” Pepper finally spoke.

 

“I need your help,” Tony said, his voice quivering. “I need to pick a ring.”

 

“A ring?” she repeated incredulously. Then she raised her eyebrows and her eyes grew large. “Are you proposing to-...”

 

“Yes,” Tony replied, smiling at her before returning his attention to the road and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel nervously. “I just thought… I mean, after the last time I almost lost him. I can’t think of what would happen if he really goes back to Asgard after giving birth to my son… Or daughter. Not that it matters. I just can’t think of what I would do without him. Before he really leaves, I just thought I could at least try… You know…”

 

He turned to Pepper and a flash of uncertainty came upon his face.

 

“I’m… I’m doing the right thing, right?” he asked.

 

“Of course!” Pepper squealed. “Oh my god, Tony this is by far the best decision you have ever made in your life! Without taking into account of you hiring me, of course. Now let’s go and get something sparkly for your husband-to-be!”

 

The two of them reached the jewelry shop not long later but it’s taken at least an hour by now. Tony ran a frustrated hand through his sweat-greased hair as Pepper pulled out yet another ring.

 

“Tony you have to pick a ring!” Pepper scolded as she pointed at the dozen of rings they had taken out.

 

It wasn’t her fault this time round. He was the one pulling out and putting back rings that he said did not match with Loki. The diamond-laden one was obviously gorgeous but that was too Tony-ish. As much as he wanted to put a label that screams “Property of Tony Stark” on Loki, that was too much. The sapphire gem ring was pretty and the colour blue basically symbolized how Loki was like Tony’s arc reactor, keeping him alive. But then again Loki has issues with the colour blue.

 

“Do you have anything green?” Tony asked.

 

“Tony, open your eyes!” Pepper all but screamed as she pointed at the row in the tray. There were all sorts of colours already on it but Tony’s mind was too cluttered to even think straight. “We already picked these out. You can’t go through the collection again!”

 

“Okay, okay,” Tony said, stepping forward and not even looking he backed up again. “I change my mind. I don’t want to buy a ring.”

 

“Oh no you don’t!” Pepper wrenched Tony back, making him sit down and picked out rings. “Okay, look at this one. This is green. Loki likes green, right? Right?”

 

“Yes, yes,” Tony said, looking everywhere but at the ring. Then Pepper stuffed the ring into his hand before picking out another ring. “Can’t I just give him an arc reactor instead?”

 

“No,” she said subconsciously and picked out two other rings. “This one is diamond studded, all around. It’s very  you so Loki may or may not like it. I don’t know, he’s your boyfriend. And this one is a simple one. The typical Solitaire. Which one do you want?”

 

“I don’t know,” Tony whined.

 

“Tony, look at me,” Pepper held the man’s face in her hands and made him look at her. “Everything will be fine. I will help you through this. Just pick a ring.”

 

Tony sighed and looked at the rings again. Those were the ones they had taken the pains to narrow down to fit both Tony and Loki’s tastes but the billionaire still had a headache after looking at all the bling. He narrowed his eyes and sighed.

 

“I don’t see the one that I liked,” he said.

 

Pepper rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air in frustration. Before she could say anything, his phone rang and he picked it up gingerly.

 

“I’m a little busy can you call me back-... WHAT?!” Tony sprang up from his seat, making both Pepper and the storekeeper jump in surprise as well. “Okay. Okay shit. Okay.”

 

Tony hung up and dashed out of the store, Pepper running after her. When they reached the car, Tony was stumbling for the keys.

 

“What happened?”

 

“Loki is in labour,” Tony heaved as he struggled to open the door. “Isn’t it too early? He’s only in his seventh month. But he’s already in labour.”

 

“Tony, I’ll drive!” Pepper said, worried about the panic attack that would come anytime. She pushed him and he quickly went to the shotgun seat instead, his face still in a daze and his hands balled into fists.

 

In the car, he realised his hand was hurting. He opened his fist and he laughed maniacally.

 

“I’m a thief now, Pepper, yay me,” Pepper frowned at the billionaire.

 

“I’m gonna have so much explaining to do for that.”

 

When they reached the hospital, the corridor was already filled with the Avengers and even Coulson was there.

 

“Where’s he? How’s he?” Tony asked, looking at the doors to the operation theatre.

 

“He complained of pains at breakfast and we called you as soon as we got the chance,” Steve said. The captain was obviously as nervous as Tony was, for some apparent reason. But of course, a demigod is in labour, who wouldn’t be nervous?

 

“Where were you anyway?” Clint asked, looking at the disheveled appearance of the billionaire. “You look like something the cat dragged in. Did you even shower?”

 

“No,” Tony replied absentmindedly.

 

“WHERE IS MY BROTHER?”

 

The familiar bulky blond demigod came striding in, his red cape flapping furiously behind him and his hammer was clutched tightly in one hand. There was a deep red gash across his left cheek and it was still bleeding. That probably meant that he just came from a war or something.

 

“Thor, please,” Coulson stepped forward, looking extra tiny in front of the demigod. “Loki is in labour and the last thing the doctors need would be his elder brother crashing hammers through the walls. Let them do their job.”

 

Thor seemed to calm down a little and nodded. He caught sight of Tony and blinked his huge blue eyes at the billionaire but there was no reaction. Tony had better things to worry about than a hammer to his head. Someone’s giving birth in there for heaven’s sake!

 

The doors opened and a doctor came out from behind them. “Is Tony here?”

 

“Ye- yes!” Tony all but jumped forward. “I’m here.”

 

“The patient is asking for you,” the doctor said and let Tony in before telling the rest. “All of you may wait at the waiting area.”

 

Tony walked into the operation theatre, all draped in operation apron and a hair cap and a mask. He could see Loki lying on the operation bed and it clicked.

 

There was no way to get the kid out in this male anatomy.

 

He walked closed to the bed and saw Loki’s face drenched in perspiration. Loki must be in so much pain. So much pain. And there was no way Tony could relieve it. Not even by holding him close.

 

Loki forced a smile when he saw Tony nearing his bed and reached a hand out. Tony took his hands and trembled.

 

“How are you?” Tony asked, his brain was too cluttered to even think straight. He was surprised that he did not actually ask Loki how his breakfast was instead.

 

“Been better,” Loki winced and smiled again. “I’ll get through this. Don’t worry about me.”

 

“How can I not worry about you?” Tony said quickly, clenching the hand in his. “I’m always worried about you. I know I’m terrible at this… I… I love you, Loki.”

 

“Tony…”

 

“No, listen to me,” Tony said, trying to steady himself as he spoke. “I don’t want you to leave. I can’t let you leave. I can’t imagine myself without you beside me. I’ve been so terrible all this while to you. I don’t want you to go to Asgard. Or anywhere at all. Please don’t leave me.”

 

Tony trembled as he reached into his pants’ pockets and took out the ring he had  accidentally taken out of the jewelry shop earlier before slipping it onto Loki’s ring finger. He planted a kiss on the ring and looked at Loki. The demigod had his eyes narrowed at him in confusion.

 

“Marry me, Loki,” Tony breathed. “Please.”

 

There was a moment of silence as Tony looked imploringly at Loki. But the demigod only looked back to Tony with his eyebrows still furrowed. It wasn’t confusion anymore. It was almost anger.

 

“You are proposing me while I am in labour, Anthony Stark?!” Loki’s voice might have reached the loudest Tony had ever heard and the billionaire gulped as he pondered whether it was a bad decision. 

 

Sure, he had bad timing. But this one should take the cake. Tony tried to pull his hand out of Loki’s but the demigod had an iron grip. The grip got stronger and Tony could almost feel his bones cracking under the grip. He began to panic and forced a grin to appeal to Loki through charms but Loki was still so angry at him.

 

“You dare propose me when I’m in lab- AH!” Loki’s head lifted towards his chest. It might have been the contraction, Tony thought. When Loki laid back down to the bed, he looked at Tony and gave a smirk. “I’ll deal with you later.”

 

Loki let go of his grip on Tony and before they both know it, the nurses had ushered the billionaire out of the operation theatre. They needed to perform a C-Section on Loki. It would have been easier for Loki to just give birth on his own but he did not have access to his magic.

 

Magic.

 

That’s right. Tony looked up and stormed out to the waiting area where the whole group was sitting around. He saw Thor standing at the drinks dispenser and without thinking twice, Tony threw a punch square in Thor’s face. Steve jumped up to grab Tony back as he always does and Thor blinked in surprise.

 

Even if he the only thing it did was cause pain to the one who threw the punch instead of the one receiving it, Thor was still taken by surprise and was caught off guard.

 

“If you didn’t take his magic away, he wouldn’t be in so much pain!” Tony yelled and it took Steve, Clint and Coulson to restrain him from lunging towards Thor again. “He’s in so much pain in there and you’re here drinking Milo!”

 

Thor was looking back at Tony in confusion and looked into his drink, his eyebrows furrowed. Then his eyes grew large when he could finally process all the information that was thrown onto him. Even demigods have morning issues, it seems.

 

“I have forgotten about the restrains!” Thor said aloud and Tony rolled his eyes. “Perhaps I could go in there and release him!”

 

“No,” Natasha said, peering out to the hallway as if she could see the operation theatre. “The operation has started, nobody’s allowed in there. We can only wait now.”

 

Hours past. The Avengers sat around, got up and paced the room, headed out to get some food, came back and waited. But Tony didn’t move one bit from his chair. He literally sat there through three hours and dazed, taking drinks or food that people passed to him.

 

Natasha looked at Tony and looked at Clint before heading out. Knowingly, Clint walked out of the waiting room and stood at the hallway.

 

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he shut the door behind him.

 

“He’s on the verge of having a panic attack,” Natasha said calmly as though it’s like stating that the sky looked blue. “It’s coming but he’s doing a good job holding it back. We don’t know when he’s gonna have it so we need to be careful.”

 

“I should inform the nurses, then,” Clint said and Natasha nodded before the archer disappeared around the hallway. Right before she managed to walk back into the waiting room, a nurse came running towards her, Clint jogging along.

 

“Mr Stark?” the nurse called, walking into the waiting area and the genius jumped up to his feet. “The doctor has called for you.”

 

Tony dashed past the group and headed to the operation theatre. Before he went straight into the theatre, the nurse stopped him and went in. The doctor came out soon after.

 

“How is he, doctor?” Tony asked, desperation evident in his voice.

 

The doctor smiled and chuckled. “The patient is fine. He is resting at the moment. You may see him later.”

 

“Oh thank god,” Tony heaved a sigh of relief.

 

“And the child?” Natasha asked.

 

“Yes, the child!” Tony repeated stupidly.

 

“Congratulations, Mr Stark,” the doctor grinned. “They are twins. A boy and a girl.”

 

Tony blinked once. Twice.

 

Natasha signaled to Clint who immediately grabbed the genius and made him sit down. Next thing he knew, Tony opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling again.

 

Holding up his head as he sat up, he looked around and realised there was nobody around him. How rude, he thought.

 

I had an attack and everybody is out to-... LOKI!

 

He jumped out of the bed and headed out when he remembered what happened. He slid down the hallway and saw everyone standing around there. Tony had to remind himself to breathe as he walked down the hallway with everyone smiling at him. Clint clapped a hand over Tony’s shoulder and pointed to the room he was supposed to be headed to.

 

He went into the ward and saw Loki lying in the bed, fully awake. The effects of the medicine must have worn out. He saw Loki smiling at Thor as the blond said something while the others chuckled a little.

 

“Loki…” Tony breathed as he looked at the demigod. Tears began to brim in his eyes in happiness as he neared the demigod who smiled back at him.

 

Then Loki’s happy and warm face turned into one of the most evil ones Tony had ever seen in a split second. The demigod frowned and furrowed his eyebrows at Tony, making the genius flinch and turn to exit but Thor grabbed him by the arm and embraced him in a bone-wrenching hug.

 

“Asgard has gotten a Young Prince and Princess!” Thor laughed joyfully. “Father will be joyed to hear this!”

 

“Yeah,” Tony squeaked and looked sheepishly at Loki who was still scowling at him. “Umm… Hi…”

 

Loki pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, placing his hands where the baby bump used to be, probably out of habit. Tony looked at the action and saw that the bracelets were no longer there, just the hospital tags left. That should mean that Loki will be able to heal himself now. Or maybe flip Tony inside out. 

 

 

“Were you not planning on informing everyone?”

 

“Informing about what, brother?” Thor asked, looking curiously from Loki to Tony.

 

“I was going to, when you recover,” Tony replied, fully cautious of the huge arm over his shoulder. He silently calculated roughly how much time would he have to try and escape before getting caught by either demigods. “I wasn’t going to hide it if that’s what you’re asking.”

 

“Why else would you do that on the labour room then?” Loki scowled.

 

“Do what, brother? What is going on?”

 

“I just thought of seizing the moment,” Tony replied.

 

“What is going on?” Thor asked, about to snap at being excluded from the conversation.

 

Before they got into a full-heated argument, the doors slid open and Clint walked in, pushing two babycots simultaneously. Two nurses were standing behind him. They must have been the ones who brought the cots but Clint probably stole their job and brought the babies in himself.

 

The archer pushed the cot and it hit something on the floor, making it steer away from its destination and Natasha went forward to take over the other cot before Clint might actually cause more destruction than he planned to.

 

“Special delivery,” the archer joked.

 

“Aren’t they under-aged or something why are they allowed out?” Tony stepped back from the cots, leaning as closely into the wall as possible.  Breathe, he kept telling himself as everyone began to look into the cots. Even Thor looked a little confused at the beings in the cots. Loki smiled and looked to Tony.

 

“I want you to pass me my babies,” Loki said pointedly, still scowling.

 

“Yes, Friend Stark!” Thor said loudly and Tony was tempted to yell at him that the kids would wake up.

 

Slowly, the genius billionaire stepped forward to the cots. It was as though there might be a creature that would jump up and bite his face off. But then again Tony wasn’t afraid of that. Not the slightest bit. 

 

Tony saw the little things in the cots. Precious little things. They looked almost too identical. But then again they’re still babies. And they’re twins at that too.

 

He couldn’t suppress the smile that crept up his face when he saw them. He felt all warm inside and hoped that it wasn’t his arc reactor leaking inside him or something as he leant forward to look closer at the babies.

 

“Would you like to carry them?” the nurse asked.

 

Tony grinned and nodded. He watched as the skilled nurses picked them up and passed them to Tony. The genius held both bundles in each arm and chuckled at the unfamiliar weight. He was even standing weirdly as he was bent a little awkwardly back, trying his best not to drop the babies.

 

“They…” Tony choked. “They look just like you.”

 

Thor stepped aside and let Tony pass to stand next to Loki. Loki made to sit up but the pain must have stopped him so Natasha and Clint went ahead to help Loki sit up.

 

“They look just like you,” Tony said again, looking from one baby to the other. “How is it that they look just like you?”

 

“And now you are upset that they do not look like you,” Loki sighed, extending his hands to take one of the babies. Tony passed the one on his left hand and made to shift the other one to comfort. Loki looked at the pink bundle in his arms and caressed her cheek.

 

“No,” Tony said, looking at Loki. “This is… This is a dream come true.”

 

They locked eyes for a moment and they smiled at each other. Loki craned his neck and Tony lowered the baby in his hands to let Loki see him.

 

“This one looks like you, though,” Clint interjected, breaking the precious moment and reminding Tony and Loki that they were all still there.

 

Everyone looked to the bundle in Tony’s arms and realised that yes, the baby boy looked a lot like Tony. There was a gash over his right eyebrow and Tony furrowed his eyebrows at it.

 

“He’s a protector,” Loki whispered and Tony smiled as he nodded.

 

“Just like you…”

 

The baby stirred in Tony’s arms and he panicked.

 

“Don’t drop him,” Clint said, receiving a look from Natasha. “What?”

 

The baby opened his eyes and seemed to look at Tony for a moment. The father’s eyes grew large in surprise and his heart melted like butter touching a hot knife. Despite the fact that the boy had Tony’s features like lips and eyebrows, the boy had emerald green eyes, just like Loki.

 

“He has your eyes…” Tony whispered, still dazed by the thought.

 

“Where?” Thor boomed unnecessarily.

 

“What the fuck, Thor?” Tony flinched and resisted punching that face again. “You’ll scare my kids!”

 

“Sorry,” the thunderer said softly before peering over Tony’s shoulder to see the baby again.

 

Thor extended a hand and touched the boy’s arm with one finger as if afraid he might break the baby if he touched him with more effort. Tony was actually convinced the thunderer might break the baby so he made a mental note not to let the thunderer touch the kid for now. 

 

“The girl sleeps like Tony,” Clint said. Everyone turned their attention to the baby in Loki’s arms and realised she was still asleep. Loki smiled and nodded. 

 

The demigod then looked up to Thor who had an uncertain look on his face. It was probably the first time in so many months that they were in the same room together.

 

“Hold your niece,” Loki said, shifting to pass the baby to his not-brother.

 

Thor looked a little too excited, panicky and confused at the same time. Tony knew the thunderer has always had troubles with receiving more than one emotion in his golden head. Thor extended his arms and his biceps, triceps and whatever-ceps were in front of Tony’s eyes.

 

“Carefully,” Tony could not help it seeing how Thor was extending his arms.

 

The God of Thunder had a ridiculously small baby in his arms. If they had to compare it to anything, Tony could say it looked like a Giant and a Midget. A super tiny midget. Or maybe it’s just Thor and Tony’s baby girl.

 

The fact that Thor was virtually silent as he held the baby girl was a really interesting fact to everyone in the room. He was actually scared to make noises. Perhaps he remembered that Tony had scolded him just a while ago.

 

“Oh!” he suddenly said, then dropping his voice to a forceful whisper in the attempt to make his voice softer. “She’s awake!”

 

Everyone craned over and looked at the baby girl, curious as to her eye colours. True to their expectations, she had big brown eyes just like Tony’s.

 

“Explains the sleeping,” Natasha said, sending an understand look to Clint.

 

Tony looked at the babies and then looked back to Loki. He took a deep breath and passed the baby to Clint who looked surprised at the sudden pass. Loki watched at Tony runs his fingers through his hair and breath heavily.

 

Suddenly, Tony was on his knees, next to Loki’s bed. The nurses had their hands thrown over their mouths in surprise while everyone else in the room simply beamed at him.

 

“I didn’t do it right earlier,” Tony started, willing his heart to stop doing popping and locking in his chest. “Loki Friggason. You’ve given me so many things in life. Happiness, love, joy… And all you’ve done is multiply it for me… When you told me you would leave, I never thought I would survive. There’s just too many things in my head that I can’t tell you without saying the wrong things. I’m not a genius… I just act like it, to be honest…”

 

Natasha nodded at that.

 

“But it doesn’t take a genius to see that I truly love you,” Tony continued. Ignoring the fact that Clint quipped ‘ or a Hawkeye’  before hissing when Natasha nudged him in the rib. “Will you take me, Anthony Edward Stark, as your husband, and allow me to love you for the rest of my short life?”

 

Loki looked stunned. He did not expect Tony to actually redo the proposal just because he acted angry in the labour room. But he did.

 

Tony’s ragged look, his unkempt hair, his trembling hand that was holding onto Loki’s. He’s just perfect in his own imperfect way.

  
  


The demigod smiled and held up his left hand. “I already agreed.”

 

“You’re supposed to say yes or no!” Tony scolded, still on his knee. “I can’t feel my legs already.”

 

“Yes, you fool,” Loki scolded back. Tony sprang up and hugged the demigod while the room cheered in happiness. Thor yelled a little too loudly and was suddenly aware of the baby in his hand before celebrating a little quieter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I said thanks again for all the love and support. I hope to see you guys again for my other fics. And I also said this in the previous chapter's footnote, I welcome you to do a spinoff or a certain scene that this fic might have triggered on you. Just pass the link to me somehow (I still dunno how PM works here or whether there is such things) and I will try my best to read it.
> 
> As for the epilogue, it will be out by tomorrow. So don't leave yet. :D
> 
> I love you guys. And I love comments!
> 
> Above all, I love Loki. Team Loki ftw~!


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sneak peek of the near future in Tony's life.

Clint looked at his wristwatch.

 

“Tony,” he walked towards the genius suspiciously. 

 

“Oh hey, Clint!” Tony was still making some delicious-smelling pancakes and only gave a glance over his shoulder.

 

“It’s 3 in the morning, why are you making pancakes?”

 

“Because I’ve finally lost control of my life,” Tony replied a little too happily. “Would you like some?”

 

“Sure,” When would Clint ever say no to free food? He sat down and saw the pile of pancakes on the counter. There were three stacks and they were almost taller than him in that seating position. “You wanna talk about it?”

 

Tony continued flipping the pancakes and laughed. Clint furrowed his eyebrows as he contemplated calling for an emergency brain scan for the billionaire.

 

“What is there to talk about, there’s nothing to talk about!”

 

“Okay...?”

 

Tony turned around and placed more pancakes on the counter. “Don’t finish them. They’ll kill me.”

 

Clint tried to remember who  they might be but it did not take a genius to know who.

 

“Loki and the kids?” Clint chuckled, eating his share of pancakes.

 

“Mother Mischief and Babies Chaos, more like it,” Tony sighed, sinking into the seat. “They’re driving me crazy.”

 

“Oh come on, the twins are only 3 years old,” Clint said, digging into his pancakes. “And I’m sure Xavier is doing fine having them in his school.”

 

“Huh,” Tony thought for a moment, scratching his chin and furrowing his eyebrows before leaning forward. “I take it you just came back and you haven’t seen your shooting range yet?”

 

Clint froze and looked up to Tony, his mouth still wide open and the fork of pancake halfway into his mouth. In a flash he disappeared from the seat and he ran to the shooting range.

 

“JARVIS.”

 

_ “ Yes, sir. ” _

 

“Put Clint Barton on the list of no entry to my domicile floor, please.”

 

_ “ Done, sir. ” _

 

Tony did a mental list of the people he has banned from his floor this month. It had become a routine since his twins enjoyed creating mischief as much as (if not more than) Loki did. He knew the Avengers would not do anything to the kids but he would often get the punishments instead.

 

Especially after his twins painted Clint’s shooting range Hot Pink, turned Natasha’s wardrobe to yellow, shifted Bruce’s lab to the garage, turn Thor’s hair blue and even Steve’s outfit to a collection of Captain America-themed kinky lingerie (Phil was actually happy about it). 

 

 

Tony knew he had to put a leash to the kids (and their demigod father) but instead, he wakes up at 3am and makes pancakes.

 

Tony sighed and buried his face inside his hands.

  
“I didn’t ask for this…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading~
> 
> I heart you guys. :D

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is just to set the backstory. The following chapters will be much longer.
> 
> Also, I didn't want to make it sound like either one of them (Loki or Tony) to sound too feminine because I liked them the way they are. They're just two men in love, conflicted by circumstances.
> 
> Just a little backtracking. Loki and Tony never really had a serious relationship where they even thought of marriage or anything of that sort. So it came as a shock for the both of them.
> 
> I love reviews! Feed me with reviews~!


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